This part of the User Manual describes the many features and commands
of the Kaboom! Factory in detail. For a list of keyboard and mouse shortcuts,
see Appendix B.
RUNNING THE KABOOM! FACTORY
Dragging and Dropping: You can drag any Kaboom!-compatible sound file onto the Kaboom! Factory icon under System 7. The sound file will be opened inside the Kaboom! Factory. You can even open an application's initial sound resource by dragging the application icon onto the Kaboom! Factory icon.
What is a "resource?" This term refers to a sound that is stored inside an application or document. Sounds are sometimes stored in a resource for use by other programs.
For a complete list of sound file types supported by the Kaboom! Factory,
see the discussion of the Open command later in this part of the User Manual.
THE SOUND CONTROLS
The controls in the lower left corner of every sound window function similar to the controls on a cassette deck or VCR.
· Rewind
Moves the insertion point to the beginning of the waveform or selection. You can also press the R key to rewind.
· Play
Plays the waveform or selection. You can also press the P or Space key to play and stop. By the way, once you start playing a sound, you can switch to another program, and the Kaboom! Factory will continue playing the sound in the background. This is perfect for playing looped music in the background!
· Fast Forward
Moves the insertion point to the end of the waveform or selection. You can also press the F key to fast forward.
· Stop
Stops the currently playing sound. You can also press the P or Space key to play and stop. If you position the pointer over the waveform while a sound is playing, you'll notice that the pointer changes to a small Stop button, allowing you to click on any part of the waveform to stop the sound, as well.
· Record
Begins recording and displays a gauge showing the time remaining to record You can record anywhere in a document by selecting an insertion point. If you have selected the waveform, your recording will replace that selection.
The available recording time depends upon the sampling rate and the amount of memory you've allocated to the Kaboom! Factory in the Finder. To change the memory allocation, choose the Get Info command in the Finder. Or see the section called "Rate" later in Part Three.
If you wish to know the available recording time without beginning to record, hold down the Option key when clicking the Record button.
PROBLEM? If the Record button is dimmed and cannot be chosen, see Item 5 in Appendix A of this User Manual.
· Loop
When turned on, this button repeats the waveform or selection (provided
it is long enough) when it is played. You can also press the L key to turn
looping on and off-even while the sound is playing.
THE GAUGES
The three gauges furnished in the lower right corner of every sound window can be used to affect the entire waveform. For example, the Volume gauge will change the volume of the entire sound, not only the selection.
All of the gauges can be used while a sound is playing. Try changing the pitch of a sound, for instance, while it is playing. You'll be met with some wild results!
· Scale Gauge
The Scale gauge zooms in and out on the waveform. You can also press the Up and Down Arrow keys, respectively, to zoom in and out, allowing you to edit more precisely.
· Volume Gauge
The Volume gauge changes the volume of the entire waveform as a function of the Play Volume setting in the Preferences dialog box. You can also press the + (plus) and - (minus) keys to increase and decrease the volume.
· Pitch Gauge
The Pitch gauge changes the frequency (or speed) at which the sound is played. Like the scale and volume, this specification is not preserved when the sound is saved. You can also press the [ and ] bracket keys, respectively, to lower and raise the pitch-even while the sound is playing.
To change the Scale, Volume, or Pitch gauges back to their original settings,
position the pointer right below the gauge itself and double-click the mouse
button.
SETTINGS & INDICATORS
There are several other important features that you can use right from the sound window:
· Rate
The Rate pop-up menu allows you to change the sound's sampling rate (or quality). The best quality available to you in the Kaboom! Factory is 22 kHz (8-bit). But bear in mind that the higher the rate, the more disk space and memory (RAM) required to save the sound.
The rate of the current sound is shown by a checkmark. If your microphone supports a particular sound quality, you will also see a small microphone icon immediately to the left of that item on the Rate pop-up menu. Note that not all systems support all four rates.
Use the following chart to determine the amount of space a sound will require at a particular rate:
Sampling Rate - Space Required on Disk
22 kHz - 22K for each second of sound
11 kHz - 11K for each second of sound
7 kHz - 7K for each second of sound
5 kHz - 5K for each second of sound
What is "downsampling?" This term is used to refer to lowering the sound quality in favor of a savings in disk space. For example, you can downsample a 22 kHz sound by opening it and choosing a lower rate from the Rate pop-up menu in the lower left corner of the document window. The decrease in sound quality associated with downsampling is often not noticeable to most. However, downsampling complex music can sometimes cause a recognizable decrease in quality.
· Input Signal
Clicking the Input Signal control to the on (up) position produces an indicator that shows the recording level on your microphone. When recording a sound you should make sure that the volume of what you are recording is not so loud that the recording level goes off the scale. (See also Check Level command.)
· Start Indicator
The Start indicator shows the position of the insertion point (blinking bar where new sounds would be inserted into the waveform) or the beginning of your selection.
· Length Indicator
The Length indicator shows the length of your selection. If you have not made a selection, the indicator will read "zero." You can view the length measured either in seconds or in bytes. Click the Length indicator to switch back and forth between the two.
When viewed in bytes, this indicator shows the size of the sound in memory (RAM). If the sound is compressed, the size on disk will be less than the size in memory.
WORKING WITH WINDOWS
Given that your Macintosh has enough memory, you may have as many as 16 sound windows open at once in the Kaboom! Factory. You can use the Windows menu to move from one window to another.
The size box in the lower right corner of the window can be used to make the window size larger or smaller. When the size box is dragged upward, less space is devoted vertically to the waveform.
NOTE: See "Preferences" later in this part of the User Manual if you wish to change the default window size.
DRAG & DROP EDITING
The Kaboom! Factory makes it easy to move or duplicate a selection without copying it to the Clipboard (called "drag and drop editing").
Moving: To move part of your sound to a new location in the sound window:
1.Select the portion you wish to move.
2. Hold down the Command and Option keys. You'll notice that the pointer on the screen has now changed.
3. Press the mouse button and drag the mouse to the location where you wish to insert the selection. When you have arrived at the desired spot, release the mouse button to insert the selection.
Duplicating: To drag part of your sound to a new location without deleting it from its current location:
4. Select the portion you wish to move.
5. Hold down the Option key. You'll notice that the pointer on the screen has now changed.
6. Press the mouse button and drag the mouse to the location where you wish to insert the selection. When you have arrived at the desired spot, release the mouse button to insert the selection.
FILE MENU
The File menu consists chiefly of commands used to manage sound files.
· New
This command provides you with a new sound window. You can have as many as 16 windows open at once in the Kaboom! Factory, given sufficient memory.
NOTE: To increase the amount of memory allocated to the Kaboom! Factory, select the Kaboom! Factory icon in the Finder, choose the Get Info command from the File menu, and type the desired number in the field provided.
· Open
When chosen, this command produces the Open dialog box, which you can indicate which file you wish to open.
You can open a sound file by double-clicking the desired item in the directory list. Some files might have more than one sound resource in them. In those cases, the resources in the selected file are listed below. You may open the desired resource by double-clicking it.
File Formats: The Kaboom! Factory supports many sound file formats: Kaboom! Sound files a type of FSSD file), System 7 sound files (also called sfil), AIFF files (acronym for Audio Interchange File Format), QuickTime movie files, AU files and sound resources (also called snd).
The Kaboom! Factory is also one of the first commercial Macintosh programs to open and save .WAV files (Microsoft Windows-compatible file format).
If you wish to view only sound files that are of one of these formats, simply choose the appropriate option from the File Type pop-up menu. (See also "File Formats" later in this part.) The default "All Sound Files" setting shows everything but sound resources.
NOTE: The Kaboom! Factory is an 8-bit mono sound editor. But you may open 16-bit and stereo files to be converted into 8-bit mono format. In the case of stereo files, you will be given a choice: You may retain the left or right channel or mix the two together.
Previewing a Sound: Whichever format you choose, you can listen to any sound shown in the Open dialog box by clicking the Listen button in the lower right corner. Or, if you prefer, check the Auto-Listen box to hear sounds automatically as you select them in the list.
· Insert
This command allows you to insert a sound at the insertion point in the active window. Make sure to select the point at which you wish to insert the sound before you choose the Insert command as any selection will be replaced with the inserted waveform. (Since the Insert command resembles the Open command so closely, you should read the previous section ("Open") if you have any questions about inserting a sound.)
To add more "room" between sounds, you may also insert blank space without using the Insert command. To do so:
1. Position the pointer over the waveform at the point where you wish to insert blank space.
2. Hold down the Command key and drag the mouse to the right. Release the mouse button when you've added the desired space.
· Close
This command closes the active sound window. You may also click in the window's close box to close it. You may type Y or N to indicate whether you wish to save changes. To close all of the open windows, hold down the Option key when choosing Close or clicking in the close box.
· Save
The Save command saves the current sound, updating the open file on disk. The file is saved in the same format and with the same compression (if any) as when it was opened.
· Save As
When chosen, this command produces the Save As dialog box in which you can specify where your file is to be saved. If you wish to save the file in a folder other than the one shown, you may navigate your way through your hard drive in the standard Macintosh way.
File Formats: New files are automatically saved as Kaboom! Sound files. If you wish to save a sound in another format (discussed in detail at the end of this part of the User Manual), choose the appropriate option from the File Type pop-up menu in the Save As dialog box.
Saving as a Resource: To save the sound as a resource inside a file such as a HyperCard stack or sound suitcase:
1. Choose the Resource command from the File Type pop-up menu in the Save As dialog box. A second dialog box appears, showing all of the files into which the sound can be saved.
2. In the scrolling list at the top of the dialog box, locate and select the HyperCard stack or other file into which you want to save the sound.
3. Type the name of the sound in the field below and click the Save button.
If you are using HyperCard, you may now play the sound resource in your stack by including the statement "Play" and the resource name in your script. For example:
on mouseUp
play "Fire Alarm"
end mouseUp
See your HyperCard User Manual for more information.
Compression: You may compress most file types when saving a file in order to save disk space (although quality may deteriorate). You can choose 3:1 or 6:1 MACE compression by selecting the appropriate option from the pop-up menu in the lower right corner of the Save As dialog box.
What is "MACE compression?" Short for Macintosh Audio Compression and Expansion, this technology allows you to save any file but a .WAV file as smaller. This takes up less hard drive space but compromises sound quality.
· Revert
This command returns you to the last saved version of the current sound file. If the file is Untitled, the command will clear the existing waveform, producing a new document.
· Delete
This command produces a dialog box in which you can delete any sound file. To delete a sound resource from an application, document, or HyperCard stack without deleting the file itself, choose the Resource option from the File Type pop-up menu, locate the file, and select the resource you wish to delete from the list at the bottom of the dialog box.
· Get Info
The dialog box that this command produces allows you to give yourself credit for any sound you've created. The text you type in the Get Info dialog box is saved along with the sound file so that others may view the Author and Notes information you've designated.
The size shown in the Get Info dialog box is the size of the current sound document on disk, not necessarily the size of the sound in memory (RAM).
· Quit
You can exit the Kaboom! Factory and return to the desktop by choosing Quit.
EDIT MENU
As in any Macintosh program, the Edit menu in the Kaboom! Factory contains commands used to-you guessed it-edit the sound in the active window.
· Undo
Just about everything you do in the Kaboom! Factory can also be undone. You can even choose the Undo command while a sound is playing to see and hear real-time results.
· Cut
This command removes the selection from the waveform and places it on the Clipboard so that you can paste it later. Cutting and copying sounds to the Clipboard will even enable you to paste sounds into certain other programs.
· Copy
When chosen, this command preserves the selected portion of your waveform but also places it on the Clipboard so that you can paste it later.
· Paste
Use this command to paste the contents of the Clipboard into a waveform or new document. The new waveform will be pasted at the insertion point. Keep in mind that choosing the Paste command when a selection has been made will replace the selection.
· Clear
Choose this command if you wish to remove the selected portion of your sound without copying it to the Clipboard. You can also press the Delete or Clear key.
· Select All
As in a word processor, this command enables you to select everything in the active window in one quick step.
· Trim
The Trim command makes recording easier by removing the "dead air" (i.e., the blank space) that frequently precedes and follows a newly recorded sound.
· Crop
Use this command to preserve the selected portion of the waveform only, deleting the extraneous portion that precedes and follows it.
· Recording Options
For your convenience, this command brings up the Apple standard dialog box in which you can choose the input device (microphone, for example) you wish to use. If this command is unavailable, you may need to select an input device in the Sound control panel. Consult your System Software user manual for details.
· Check Level
Use this command to check the level on your microphone or input device prior to recording and to make adjustments to the input level. To stop, just click the mouse button.
· Preferences
This command produces the Preferences dialog box in which you can customize the Kaboom! Factory to your own specifications. The default settings are shown below.
Disable effects if no selection: When checked, this option requires you to select a portion of the waveform before the Effects menu is available to you. When this option is not checked and you have not made a selection, the effects you choose will affect the entire waveform.
Open window to (half size/full size): This option determines the height of each window when opened. If you have a small monitor, you may wish to change this option to Half Size.
Play sound from (insertion point/beginning): When Insertion Point is chosen from this pop-up menu, clicking the Play button will play the sound from the insertion point to the end of the waveform. When Beginning is chosen, the sound will always be played in its entirety, regardless of where the insertion point is.
Output Channel (left/center/right): This option governs the channel through which sound will be played on your Macintosh. Unless you have external speakers, it's doubtful you'll notice a difference.
Time Format (minutes:seconds/seconds only): The Time Format setting determines the unit of measure in which time is expressed in sound windows and the Mixer Palette.
Pitch Scale (linear/two octaves/major scale): This option governs the measuring system used for the pitch slider in the lower right corner of each sound window.
Use Play Volume Level: When this option is checked, you can use the gauge in the Preferences dialog box to determine the overall sound level for the Kaboom! Factory. While the Volume gauge will still work in the sound window, you will only be able to play a sound as loudly as permitted by this gauge.
Record Play-thru: This gauge lets you determine the extent to which your voice is played through the Mac speaker as you are recording (provided that your microphone's sound driver supports this). While this is mostly of technical significance, you may wish to set this gauge to zero if you are using certain PowerBook models on which the microphone is situated near the speaker. This will reduce the chance of feedback. (But feedback can be of value-heck, Jimi Hendrix made a career out of it!)
EFFECTS MENU
The commands on the Effects menu are used to enhance sounds in the Kaboom! Factory. To apply an effect, first select the portion of the waveform that you wish to change. Then, choose the appropriate command.
· Amplify
If a sound is not loud enough when played, you should make sure that the Volume gauge is turned up in the document window and that the Use Play Volume Level option is turned off in the Preferences dialog box.
However, you can use the Amplify command to widen the actual waveform so that the sound plays louder or softer. To make a sound louder, enter a number larger than 100%. To make it softer, enter a number smaller than 100%.
While you can enter a number as high as 999% in the Amplify dialog box, you should make sure that the waveform does not hit the top or bottom of the window (called "Clipping") to ensure high quality. (See Normalize" later in this part of the User Manual.) This is an example of what happens when too large a number is entered in the Amplify dialog box:
· Echo
This command extends the selected waveform in such a way as to produce an echo effect.
Echo Signal: This determines the strength of the echo (how long it will take to fade out).
Delay Time: Entering a long Delay Time (a second or more) will make the selection sound like it was played at the other end of a tunnel, while entering a short Delay Time (maybe 0.1 second) will give the sound an alien-line feel.
Sometimes it's helpful to insert blank space after the portion of the waveform you wish to echo so that the echo doesn't end abruptly. See the Insert command earlier in this part of the User Manual for details.
· Reverb
Use the Reverb command to apply certain "environments" to a waveform. You can choose from Concert Hall, Studio, Theatre, and Basement. These choices actually simulate the size of such a room and the effect that that size has on playing a sound.
· Flange
No, this is not a Mexican dessert! Actually, this recording technique, popularized in the Sixties, changes the complexity of the selected waveform, giving it the feel of a bullet ricochet, low-flying fighter plane, or outer-space creature. For some interesting results, try applying the flange effect several times using the -R key combination.
· Reverse
Use this command in order to play a sound or selection backwards. Remember that the words you record consist of many individual frequencies run together. So just because you said "Kaboom!" doesn't mean it will play back as "Moobak!" when reversed!
· Fade In & Fade Out
These commands change the selected waveform so that its amplitude (volume) is graduated up or down. For instance, if you wish to record just the first part of a song and don't want it to end abruptly, you can select and fade out just the last few seconds. If you want to graduate the fade as a curve, you may choose the Repeat Effect command several times once you have chosen Fade In or Fade Out.
· Normalize
Use the Normalize command to optimize the amplitude (volume) of a sound. The selection will be amplified to the maximum amount possible without clipping the waveform.
· Smooth & Sharpen
These commands change the composition of the waveform by rounding it out or adding angularity, respectively. You can create some interesting results!
· Apply Pitch
The setting of the pitch slider in the lower right corner of a sound window affects the waveform only temporarily; this specification does not get saved along with the sound file.
However, you can permanently change the selected portion of a waveform by choosing the Apply Pitch command from the Effects menu. This will apply the pitch slider's setting to the selection.
· Apply Envelope
This command allows you to manually fade a waveform in and out in as many places as you wish. Just create an "envelope" with as many points as you like. (Envelopes are discussed in greater detail later in this part of this User Manual.)
The high points will produce the maximum volume while placing a point at the bottom will produce silence. Once you have placed the points in the desired places, choose the Apply Envelope command, and the changes will take effect.
· Sinewave
This command produces a dialog box in which you can generate tones that will affect the selected waveform. If you do not want to alter the selected waveform, you should first insert blank space into the sound. See the Insert command earlier in this part of the User Manual for details.
Frequency: The frequency, measured in kilohertz (kHZ), determines the pitch of the tone. A low number will generate a low pitch, while a high number will generate a high one.
Amplitude: This value determines how loud the tone will be. Entering a number larger than 100% will generate a still louder tone but may distort the sound.
Blend Amount: This number allows you to blend the tone you've generated with the existing selection. Entering 100% will completely replace the selection. However, entering, say, 10% will mean that you can still hear 90% of the sound you selected before generating the tone. In this case, 10% of the resulting sound will be attributable to the sinewave.
You can use the Sinewave command to generate musical notes, as well. For example, this chart shows the approximate frequencies of each note in Middle C:
Note - Frequency
C - .2616
C#/Db - .2772
D - .2937
D#/Eb - .3111
E - .3296
F - .3492
F#/Gb - .3700
G - .3920
G#/Ab - .4153
A - .4400
A#/Bb - .4662
B - .4939
You can also combine tones to create other sounds. For example, to create a bell sound, select one second of sound, and apply three sinewaves to the waveform, as follows:
1. Frequency = 0.7, Amplitude = 100%, Blend = 100%
2. Frequency = 0.45, Amplitude = 100%, Blend = 50%
3. Frequency = 0.3, Amplitude = 100%, Blend = 50%
Adjustment Option: Checking the box at the bottom of the screen will extend the selection so that the sinewave ends evenly. By checking this option, you'll be able to add other sinewaves to the end of the new sinewave with a smooth transition between them.
· Noise
This command changes the selection to a random amount of static. Hold down the Option key when you choose the command to create a different kind of noise. You might wonder why you would want just plain old noise. Actually, there are many neat uses for Noise, and you're likely to think of more.
You can insert bits and pieces of noise into music to create an effect that sounds like a record scratch (perfect for you rap music fans!). Or you can press the Loop button when playing noise to create a buzzer sound. Choosing the right effects, you can make noise sound like a car driving by, an explosion, or someone walking through the snow.
· Silence
Use this command to clear the sound out of the selection entirely.
· Repeat Effect
This command repeats the effect command you last chose. For example, if the last effect you used was Echo, this command will use the echo signal and delay time you last specified to affect the current selection.
If you wish to change the specifications, hold down the Shift key while choosing this command or typing -R. You will be presented with the appropriate effects dialog box so that you can make the necessary changes.
LABELS MENU
Labels are the perfect way to keep track of the various pieces that make up the sound you are editing. It can be particularly useful to label the pieces as you paste or insert them.
· Set Label
Choosing this command or pressing -L produces a dialog box in which you can name the portion of the waveform you have selected and specify a color. The Start Time and Length are shown in seconds, and you may change either value if you wish, as well as the color for that label.
By the same token, a label can refer to an insertion point (sometimes called "cue point"). If you want to mark a point in the waveform where a particular sound begins, simply select the insertion point and then choose the Set Label command.
· Edit Label
To edit a label's name, starting point, length, or color:
1. Select the label by clicking it. (Labels are shown below the waveform.) Or if you prefer, press Tab or Shift-Tab to select a label.
2. Choose the Edit Label command from the Labels menu. The Edit Label dialog box is displayed.
3. Type the new information or choose a new color and click the OK button to return to the sound window.
You can also double-click the label as a shortcut to produce the Edit Label dialog box.
Moving a Label: You can also move the label to a new position from inside the document window without affecting the sound itself.
1. Select the label by clicking it. Or type the label number while holding down the key.
2. Hold down the Option key and drag the label to the desired position. You'll notice that the starting point (shown on the label) changes as you drag it.
Extending the Size of a Label: To extend the size of a label without entering the Edit Label dialog box:
1. Select the label by clicking it. Or type the label number while holding down the key.
2. Hold down the Shift key and click to either side of the selection. You'll see that the size of the label grows, as well.
Changing the Color of a Label: To change the color of a label without choosing Edit Label, position the pointer on the label name (below the waveform), press the Command key, and choose a color from the pop-up menu.
· Remove Label
To remove a label entirely:
1. Select the label by clicking it. (Labels are shown below the waveform.)
2. Choose the Remove Label command from the Labels menu.
WINDOWS MENU
You can move to any open Kaboom! Factory document simply by choosing the appropriate window from the Windows menu. Or choose one of these commands:
· Show/Hide Envelope Points
Choosing this command will produce a line across the top of the sound window which you can use to change the amplitude (volume) of a selection more precisely.
The position of the line will dictate the amplitude of the resulting sound. For example, keeping the line at the top of the window will maintain the current volume of the sound, while moving the line all the way down to the middle of the window will result in complete silence.
Moving Envelope Points: You can move the two points (beginning and end) of the line just as you would in a drawing program:
1. Position the pointer on the point and click the mouse button.
2. Drag the point downward to the desired position. For example, if you want to fade out the waveform, keep the beginning point at the top of the window and move the end point down.
3. Choose the Apple Envelope command from the Effects menu.
Adding Envelope Points: You can also add envelope points, thus bending the line to make a more complex volume change. Just position the pointer over the line where you wish to add a point. Once the cursor has changed, click the mouse button to add the point.
Deleting Envelope Points: By the same token, you can remove an envelope point once it has been added. To delete a point, position the pointer over that point and hold down the Command and Option keys. The pointer will change to an X. Then click to remove the point.
FILE FORMATS
The Kaboom! Factory can open and save files in a variety of formats supported by other sound programs. You can double-click any of these files from the Finder to open it inside the Kaboom! Factory. However, there is one exception: Double-clicking a System 7 sound file under System 7 will play the sound right in the Finder.
· Kaboom! Sound
Sometimes called an "FSSD" file, this is the default file type setting when a new document is created. Sounds saved in this format can be opened easily in other Macintosh sound editing programs.
· System 7
When a sound is saved as a System 7 sound file, you will be able to double-click it in the Finder under System 7, and the sound will play automatically.
· AIFF
Standing for Audio Interchange File Format, this too is a file type that can be opened easily inside other Macintosh sound editing programs. You can also automatically convert 16-bit AIFF files to 8-bit and stereo AIFF files to mono for use in the Kaboom! Factory.
· Movie
You can save a sound as a soundtrack for use in QuickTime-compatible multimedia programs by choosing this option from the File Type pop-up menu in the Save As dialog box.
· AU
This is the file format most common for Internet distribution.
· .WAV File
By choosing this option in the Open dialog box, you'll be able to open most sound files from Microsoft Windows, including those sounds found in virtually all commercial Windows sound collection products.
Kaboom! is one of the first commercial Macintosh software product to support both Type 1 and Type 2 "wave" files, and opening these files is easy. Just transfer any Windows sound file onto your Macintosh using PC File Exchange or a similar program. Then choose the Open command in the Kaboom! Factory and choose the .WAV File option from the File Type pop-up menu. You'll be able to locate the file and open it.
When you choose the ".WAV File" option in the Save As dialog box, you'll be able to save a Macintosh sound as a Type 1 .WAV file and open that sound on your PC.
· Resource
You can also open and save sound resources inside other files, including sound suitcases and HyperCard stacks. To save a sound as a resource, choose the Resource item from the Save As dialog box's File Type pop-up menu to bring up the Save Into dialog box. If you prefer, you can access the Save Into dialog box directly by holding down the Option key when you go to the File menu.
GETTING HELP
Under System 7, choose the Show Balloons command from the Balloon Help menu in the upper right corner of the screen for more information about the Kaboom! Factory's controls and commands.