Copyright: Copyright (c) 1996 Creative Technology Ltd.


Help Contents
Contents

Overview

What is Creative Multimedia Decks?

Creative MIDI

The Interface

Knowing the Interface

Working with the Creative MIDI

Playing Tracks

Adjusting the Volume

Changing a Track's Playing Position

Compiling a Playlist : The Playlist Dialog

Repeating the Playlist

Scanning Tracks in the Playlist

Shuffling the Playlist

Moving the Creative MIDI

Minimizing the Creative MIDI

Quitting the Creative MIDI

Keyboard Shortcuts


What is Creative Multimedia Decks?

Creative Multimedia Decks is a multi-player control interface that allows you to control your multimedia devices, like your CD-ROM drives and overlay device, separately or concurrently.

It consists of Creative Remote and one or more multimedia players, such as Creative CD, Creative Wave and Creative MIDI.   Creative Remote allows you to control different devices from one control interface, thus saving you lots of screen space.  It also allows you to invoke any of the Creative Multimedia Decks players if you require more direct control over a device.


Creative MIDI

 Creative MIDI is one of the players in Creative Multimedia Decks.  In addition to letting you play your MIDI files/tracks, it has some advanced features which include:

Ability to be controlled by Creative Remote

A "touch-sensitive" display

Multiple display forms

Fine control of track's playing position

Introduction, Repeat and Shuffle modes for playback

Playlist compilation of your MIDI files into a Collection

Fast track selection

Direct MIDI volume control

Note

The terms "MIDI track" and "MIDI files" are used interchangeably throughout this document.


Knowing the Interface

When you launch Creative MIDI, the Creative MIDI interface appears as shown below:

Related Topics

Power Off Button

Menu Button

Minimize Button

Playlist Button

"Touch Sensitive" Display

Fast Track Selector

Playback Control


Power Off Button

The Power Off button [image] allows you to quit Creative MIDI.

Related Topic

Quitting the Creative MIDI


Menu Button

The Menu button [image] displays a menu to allow you to select some system and miscellaneous functions.


Minimize Button

The Minimize button [image] minimizes Creative MIDI to an icon.

Related Topic

Minimizing the Creative MIDI


Playlist Button

The Playlist button [image] allows you to launch the Playlist dialog box so that you can compile a playlist.

Related Topic

Compiling a Playlist : The Playlist Dialog


"Touch Sensitive" Display

The "Touch Sensitive" Display consists of several "touch-sensitive" controls as well as indicators that shows the current playback status and track information.  Clicking the "Touch Sensitive" Display allows you to switch among the three displays below:

 Playing a MIDI file

 Not playing a MIDI file

Display 1: Graphical display of the player status

Display 2: Current playlist and track titles

Display 3: Current track number and duration of the playing track

The second and third forms of the "Touch Sensitive" Display also have other controls that perform more functions than simply displaying current playlist and track titles.  These controls are shown below:

 	Graphic Volume Control

 	Two-digit Mode Selector

 	Repeat Mode Selector

 	Introduction Mode Selector

 	Shuffle Mode Selector

 	Graphic Slider


Fast Track Selector

The Fast Track Selector [image] consists of a group of buttons which you can use to quickly select a track to play.

Related Topic

Playing Tracks


Playback Control

The Playback Control consists of a group of buttons which you can use to perform the playback operations on the player.  These buttons are shown below:

 	Stop button

 	Play button

 	Pause button

 	Skip-Reverse button

 	Rewind button

 	Fast-Forward button

 	Skip-Forward button

Related Topic

Playing Tracks


Playing Tracks

By default, Creative MIDI plays MIDI tracks from the playlist.  But if you want to, you can play MIDI tracks using the Playback Control buttons on the Creative MIDI.  You can also select and play a track using the Fast Track Selector [image] buttons by following the steps below.

To play a track whose number is less than eleven

1	Turn off the Two-digit Mode Selector [image] if it is highlighted, by using the mouse or pressing <T>.

2	Choose a button from the Fast Track Selector that correspond to the track you want to select.  If you want to select track 10, choose button 0.

To play the track whose number is more than ten

1	Highlight the Two-digit Mode Selector [image] by using the mouse or pressing <T>.

2	Choose two buttons on the Fast Track Selector that correspond to the track you want to select.
The track starts playing.

Note

If you choose a track whose number is more than the number of tracks in the playlist, the last track in the list will be selected.


Adjusting the Volume

To adjust the volume of the player

Click and hold down the left mouse button on the Graphic Volume Control [image] on the "Touch-Sensitive" Display at the level you want.
The level of the Graphic Volume Control will move to the mouse position.

Note

 You can use hot keys to change the volume level.  Press <V> to select the Graphic Volume Control and use the up and down arrow keys to go to the level you want.


Changing a Track's Playing Position

To change the track's playing position before you play it or while it is playing

1	Click and hold down the left mouse button on the Graphic Slider [image] and move the mouse pointer to the position that you want the track to start playing.

2	When the highlighted portion of the Graphic Slider has reached the position you have chosen, release the mouse button.
If your player is already playing, the player will immediately go to the position you have chosen and start playing.

3	If your player is not playing, choose the Play button [image] to start playing the track at the position you have chosen.

Note

You can use hot keys to change the track's playing position.  Press <G> to select the Graphic Slider and use the left and right arrow keys to go to the position you want.


Compiling a Playlist : The Playlist Dialog

You can compile a list of tracks to play on Creative MIDI through the Playlist dialog box.

To launch the Playlist dialog box

Choose the Playlist button [image] by using the mouse or pressing <L>.
The Playlist dialog box appears.

The Playlist dialog box contains the following components:

This Component	Allows You To Do This

Collection combo box	Select a Collection.

Drives combo box	Select the drive.

List Files of Type combo box	Select the type of files to be displayed in the Files List box.

Playlist box	Display the files you have included in the playlist in the form of sequence number:track title.

Directory list box	Select the directory.

Files List box       	Display the files in the current directory

Save button	Save the playlist into the current selected Collection.

Save As button	Save the playlist with a new Collection name.

Delete button	Delete the currently selected Collection.

Play button	Play the selected tracks on the Playlist or Files List box.

Add button	Put selected tracks in the Files List box into the Playlist box.

Add All button	Put all tracks in the Files List box into the Playlist box.

Remove button	Remove selected tracks from the Playlist box.

Clear button	Remove all the tracks in the Playlist box.

Done button	Confirm the compilation of tracks in the Playlist box.

Cancel button	Cancel changes made to the tracks in the Playlist box. The playlist reverts to its last saved copy.

Help button	Display the online help file.

Note

The Playlist dialog box allows you to preview tracks before adding them to the playlist.  You can also rearrange the tracks in the playlist, and give names to the playlist and tracks.  When you are satisfied with your compilation, choose the Done button to confirm the compilation.  Choose the Cancel button to cancel all changes made.

Related Topics

Previewing Tracks

Adding Tracks to the Playlist

Removing Tracks from the Playlist

Rearranging Tracks in the Playlist

Saving the Playlist

Deleting a Collection


Previewing Tracks

To preview a track before adding any tracks to the playlist

1	Select the tracks from Playlist or Files List box.

2	Choose the Play button to play the track.

Note

You can also preview a track by double-clicking the track in either list box.


Adding Tracks to the Playlist

To add a track to the playlist

1	Select the track from the Files List box.

2	Choose the Add button.

To add a group of tracks to the playlist

1	Select the tracks from the Files List box while pressing the <Ctrl> or <Shift> key.

Pressing the <Ctrl> key allows you to randomly select the tracks you want.
Pressing the <Shift> key allows you to select all tracks between the first and last tracks.

2	Choose the Add button.
The selected tracks are added to the playlist.

Note

Choose the Add All button to add all the tracks in the Files List box to the playlist.


Removing Tracks from the Playlist

To remove a track from the playlist

1	Select the track from the Playlist box.

2	Choose the Remove button.

To remove a group of tracks from the playlist

1	Select the tracks from the Playlist box while pressing the <Ctrl> or <Shift> key.

Pressing the <Ctrl> key allows you to randomly select the tracks you want.
Pressing the <Shift> key allows you to select all tracks between the first and last tracks.

2	Choose the Remove button.

Note

Choose the Clear button to remove all the tracks in the Playlist box.


Rearranging Tracks in the Playlist

To rearrange a track in the playlist

Click and hold down the right mouse button on a track you want to rearrange, and drag it to the desired position in the Playlist list box.
The track will be changed to that position, and subsequent tracks will be rearranged below it in the Playlist list box.


Saving the Playlist

To save your playlist into the current Collection

Choose the Save button.

To save your playlist into another Collection

1	Choose the Save As button.
The New Collection dialog box as shown below would appear:

2	Enter a new Collection name in the edit box and press <Enter>.


Deleting a Collection

To delete a selected Collection

Choose the Delete button.


Repeating the Playlist

To repeat the playlist

Highlight the Repeat Mode Selector [image] in the "Touch Sensitive" Display by using the mouse or pressing <M>.


Scanning Tracks in the Playlist

To scan the tracks in the playlist

Highlight the Introduction Mode Selector [image] in the "Touch Sensitive" Display by using the mouse or pressing <I>.

Note

If you switch to the Introduction Mode while a track is being played, the player will stop the current playback and start playing from the first track in the playlist.


Shuffling the Playlist

To shuffle the tracks in a playlist

Highlight the Shuffle Mode Selector [image] in the "Touch-Sensitive" Display by using the mouse or pressing <H>.

Notes

When you shuffle the playlist, you randomly rearrange the tracks in the playlist.

If you switch to the Shuffle Mode while a track is being played, the player will stop the current playback and start playing from the first track of the newly ordered playlist.


Moving the Creative MIDI

To move Creative MIDI

Click on the surface of the player and drag it to the position you want.


Minimizing the Creative MIDI

To minimize Creative MIDI to an icon

Choose the Minimize button [image] by using the mouse or pressing <N>.


Quitting the Creative MIDI

To quit Creative MIDI

Choose the Power Off button [image] by using the mouse or pressing <O>.


Keyboard Shortcuts

This Shortcut Key	Allows You To Do This

<O>	Quit Creative MIDI.

<Alt+Spacebar>	Activate the menu.

<N>	Minimize the player.

<P>	Play a selected track.

<A>	Pause the playing track.

<S>	Stop the playing track.

<B>	Play the previous track.

<K>	Quickly rewind the track.

<W>	Quickly forward the track.

<F>	Play the next track.

<L>	Launch the Playlist dialog.

<M>	Switch on or off the Repeat Mode.

<I>	Switch on or off the Introduction Mode.

<H>	Switch on or off the Shuffle Mode.

<T>	Switch on or off the 2-Digit Mode.

<G>	Select the Graphic Slider.

<V>	Select the Graphic Volume Control.

<1>	Input digit "1".

<2>	Input digit "2".

<3>	Input digit "3".

<4>	Input digit "4".

<5>	Input digit "5".

<6>	Input digit "6".

<7>	Input digit "7".

<8>	Input digit "8".

<9>	Input digit "9".

<0>	Input digit "0".

<F1>	Activate the online help.

<Ctrl+D>	Switch display mode.


Glossary of Terms

Collection

Playlist

Shuffle Mode Selector

Introduction Mode Selector

Repeat Mode Selector

Two-digit Mode Selector

Graphic Volume Control

Graphic Slider

Stop button

Play button

Pause button

Skip-Reverse button

Rewind button

Fast-Forward button

Skip-Forward button


Collection

Name of a playlist.


Playlist

A list of tracks ordered by the user.  During playback, the player would look for tracks in this list to play.


Shuffle Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch on or off the Shuffle Mode of the player.  When this mode is on, the order of the tracks in the playlist will be randomized.  When deactivated, the order of the tracks in the playlist will be restored.


Introduction Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch on or off the Introduction Mode of the player.  When this mode is on, the player will play only the first few seconds of all the tracks.


Repeat Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch on or off the Repeat Mode of the player.  When this mode is on, the player will loop back and continue playing from the first track in the playlist after playing the last track in the list.  When this mode is off, the player will stop playback once it finishes playing the last track in the list.


Two-digit Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch between single-digit and double-digit track number inputs when you use the Fast Track Selector to select a track to play.


Graphic Volume Control

This control shows and controls the volume level of the player.


Graphic Slider

A slider that indicates the percentage of the current track that has been played.  It can also be used to control the playing position of a track.


Stop button

This button stops a playing track.


Play button

This button plays a selected track.


Pause button

This pauses a playing track.


Skip-Reverse button

This button plays the previous track.


Rewind button

This button quickly rewinds a selected track.


Fast-Forward button

This button quickly forwards a selected track.


Skip-Forward button

This button plays the next track.