NBS Manager Version 1.0 , Nov. 1997
-----------------------------------
Public Domain by Stephan Kuempel


What for ?
----------
- quickly send sounds to the Bass-Station (one click, or keypress)

- identify sounds by names

- view ALL knobsettings 
  -to see how sounds are programmed 
  -to modify sounds with knowing what source you have

- easily group sounds together by using windows directories
  -sort different types of sounds (bass, sequencer, lead,..) 
  -rename, copy, move sounds with windows explorer 
  -soundnames=filenames

- uses portable .syx format

INSTALLATION
------------
- Unzip the program to a directory of your choice.
  In this directory should be the following files :
  NBS_MAN.EXE
  NBS.INI
  MSGBLASTER.VBX
  CMDIALOG.VBX
  README.TXT

  -subdirectory SYX with some sounds and directory with presets of the rackmount Version
  (If you have the .VBX files in your windows/system dir already, you can delete them.)

  -subdirectory FONTS (install this fonts on your system. For best look use font-smoothing)

  The program is designed to be self-explaining, so you could simply run it, make your
  configuration settings, and try things out.
  But I recommend you to take some time and follow this steps ...

LEARNING BY DOING:
------------------

- Start NBS_MAN.EXE.

- Ignore Midi-Errors and click on the -CONFIGURATION-...-Button.

- Select your Midi-In-,-Out-Devices which are connected to the bass station.

- Select a path for your sysex-data (use subdirectory syx for getting started)
  (sorry, doesn't support long filenames until now ...)
- Select whether these sounds should be loaded at startup or not

- After saving your configuration, you should now exit the program (ignore all 
  Midi-Errors) and start it again.
  The program should now start without any Midi-Errors.

- The directory-setting at startup is now the path you entered in configuration.
  If you chose "load sounds at startup", all the sounds in this directory are
  loaded into the computer, and you can skip through them clicking the -BACK- or -FWD- 
  buttons or using the keys S and X.

- But wait, don't send them by pressing the Bass-Station icon at this time.

- First, let's backup the sounds currently saved on your Bass-Station, 'cause sending
  a sound would overwrite the current memory-place selected on your device.

- To back up a sound from the memory of your Bass-Station, simply dump a single sound as
  described in the Novation manual.
  (KEYBOARD Version: Set MEMORY-switch to the desired sound, set UTIL.MODE-switch
  to KEY'B and press second key from the right on the keyboard. To dump the other
  sounds simply turn MEMORY-Switch and press the memory-save-single key again.
  Turn KEY'B switch back to off).

- Now there should be some sounds called 'New..' in the programs sound list.

- At this time you may want to create a new subdir for these sounds in the Windows-Explorer
  first,  so you could load your sounds in the program at startup by entering this
  path in the -CONFIGURATION-... section) 

- Save each sound clicking the -SAVE SOUND- icon. (Sorry no long filenames until now...)

- It's time to try out other sounds. Simply scroll back and click the Bass-Station
  icon (or press D on keyboard). The highlighted sound is now sent to the Bass-Station
  and stored in the currently selected memory place.

- If the -AUTO-switch is enabled, sounds are sent automatically when skipping forwards or
  backwards. 

- To load sounds into memory select them in the file-box (select more than one sound
  at a time by holding down mouse-button or using SHIFT or CTRL-keys).
  Then click the -LOAD- arrow.

The 'SURFACE'-screen
--------------------   
- Press -TOGGLE SURFACE- to display the parameters of the sound.

- Now you can see, how the knobs should stand, if the current sound would be set up 
  on the instrument.

- To make changes from the source of this sound, you can do the following 
  a) move all knobs on the Bass-Station in the displayed angle (don't forget
     ENV 2, OSC 2 and LFO MOD) and set switches according to the screen.
  b) For minor changes use the surface-screen directly.
     - Set values by holding mouse-button down over the number to be modified and move
       mouse left or right to decrease,increase this parameter.
     - Setting switches should not need an explanation...

- The editing  doesn't affect the sound on the Bass-Station directly, but by pressing 
  -SEND SYX- on the surface-screen, the edited sound will be immediately sent to the synth. 
  
- Also a new sound called 'edit..' will appear in the sound list above.
     
- You can name this sound by clicking on the 'edit..' text, then save it.  
 
- Now you sould be able to work with the program on your own.


RUNNING THE PROGRAM WITH Hubi's Loopback Device (or other Multi-Midi-Programs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have installed one of these to your computer, you will be able to run a sequencer
parallel to the Bass-Station Manager, so you can have a sequence running while changing the
sound with the Manager.

FEATURES FOR THE FUTURE...
--------------------------
As this is the first released version of this program, there could be the one or other
things to be done if recommended by anyone.

- re-routing of Bass-Station-Controllers to sysex-commands (for live-modulating 
  other synths.This could be even recorded in a sequencer with especial routing 
  of Hubi-Loopback-Devices)
 
- directly change sound on Bass-Station when editing values on surface-screen.
  (not implemented, 'caus Bass-Station hangs some times until now when running parallel
   to sequencer)

- changing sounds by Program-Change messages (Sent by a master-keyboard (or sequencer
   via Hubi (weired internal cabling needed) ) )
  
- Small remote control-screen with only Sound-Name-Display and skip-buttons to be viewed
  while working with a sequencer-program (You don't have to switch programs on your
  screen to know whats going on)

- use of user-defined keys for shortcuts



If you have any problems please contact me at st001841@hrz1.hrz.tu-darmstadt.de

If you like this program send some .syx-sounds or other stuff to my adress.
Comments about the program are welcome, too. 


Thanks go to David Churcher <davec@wsti.demon.co.uk> for all the VB Midi-Routines
 in MIDILIB, which made programming sysex and midi understandable for me.


  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBS_Man is copyright (c) 1997 by Stephan Kuempel

NBS_Man is offered to you "AS IS" without any warranty. This software has
been thoroughly tested but no guarantee is given that it will work on
every computer. The copyright owner may not be held liable for any
damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the the use of
this program.

This program is freely distributable. You may use the software and
share it with everyone as long as the program is
supplied in its original, unmodified form, which includes this
documentation. This program must not be distributed for profit.

