GWBASIC User's Manual

GW-BASIC User's Guide
PLAY Statement
Purpose:
To play music by embedding a music macro language into the string data type.
Syntax:
PLAY string expression
Comments:
The single-character commands in PLAY are as follows:
A-G [#,+,-] A-G are notes. # or + following a note produces a sharp; - produces a flat.
Any note followed by #,+,or - must refer to a black key on a piano.
L(n) Sets the length of each note. L4 is a quarter note, L1 is a whole note, and so on. n
may be from 1 to 64.
Length may also follow the note to change the length for that note only. A16 is
equivalent to L16A.
MF Music foreground. PLAY and SOUND statements are to run in foreground. That is,
each subsequent note or sound is not started until the previous note or sound is
finished. This is the initial default.
MB Music background. PLAY and SOUND statements are to run in background. That
is, each note or sound is placed in a buffer allowing the BASIC program to
continue execution while music plays in the background. As many as 32 notes
(or rests) can be played in background at one time.
MN Music normal. Each note plays seven-eighths of the time determined by L
(length).
ML Music legato. Each note plays the full period set by L.
MS Music staccato. Each note plays three-quarters of the time determined by L.
N(n) Play note n. n may range from 0 to 84. In the 7 possible octaves, there are 84
notes. n set to 0 indicates a rest.
O(n) Octave 0 sets the current octave. There are 7 octaves (0 through 6). Default is 4.
Middle C is at the beginning of octave 3.
P(n) Pause. P may range from 1-64.
T(n) Tempo. T sets the number of L4s in a minute. n may range from 32-255. Default
is 120.
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