Copyright: ® Turtle Beach Systems


Help Contents
Contents

Tropez Control Panel

Quick Start

Control Panel Buttons

Tropez Menu Items

Using the Control Panel

Command Line Options


Quick Start

Follow this Quick Start procedure to set up your own samples:

If no SIMM RAM is installed in your Tropez, you will not be able to load a sample, edit a sample, or save/load a configuration.

Setting up your own sample:

1.	Record or obtain a .WAV file you intend to use as a replacement for a General MIDI program in Tropez and place it in a specific directory on your hard disk (such as C:\WAVES). Recording the .WAV file can be done with Turtle Beach's Wave SE application or the Windows Sound Recorder applet. Recording with Wave SE is described in the Wave SE manual and recording with the Sound Recorder is described in the Microsoft Windows manual. Placing the file can be done with the File Manager or the MS-DOS Prompt found in the Main program group of the Program Manager.

2.	(OPTIONAL) Define two (2) loop points for each .WAV file using Wave SE. This step is not necessary and is explained in the Wave SE manual.

3.	Launch the Tropez program group from Program Manager.

4.	Launch the Tropez Control Panel from the Tropez program group.

5.	Click on the SampleStore button in the Tropez Control Panel and select a .WAV file to load and click OK. In the next dialog, select a General MIDI instrument to replace. Click OK to load the sample.

6.	Launch Turtle Beach's MousePlayer applet from the Tropez program group.

7.	Use Turtle Beach's MousePlayer applet to review the replacement sound of the instrument.

8.	Click on the large slider in the Tropez Control Panel and with the mouse button depressed adjust the volume upward or downward as desired.

9.	Use Turtle Beach's MousePlayer applet to review the newly selected volume.

10.	Click on the Edit button in the Tropez Control Panel.  For the loaded sample:

11.	Adjust the volume.

12.	Adjust root key selection.

13.	Specify a General MIDI instrument to replace.

14.	Click on the Assign button.

15.	Use the MousePlayer applet to review the replacement sound of the instrument.

16.	Click on the Save button in the Tropez Control Panel to save the current setup into a .WFB file for future use. NOTE: Do not name the file GM_TROP.WFB, GM_MAUI.WFB, or GM_RIO.WFB.

Related Topics:

Recording or Obtaining a Sample

Loading a Sample

Adjusting the Output Level

Editing a Sample

Saving the Current Configuration


Recording or Obtaining a Sample

To Record or Obtain a Sample:

1.	Record or obtain a .WAV file you intend to use as a replacement for a General MIDI program in Tropez and place it in a specific directory on your hard disk (such as C:\WAVES). Recording the .WAV file can be done with Turtle Beach's Wave SE application or the Windows Sound Recorder applet. Recording with Wave SE is described in the Wave SE manual and recording with the Sound Recorder is described in the Microsoft Windows manual. Placing the file can be done with the File Manager or the MS-DOS Prompt found in the Main program group of the Program Manager.

2.	(OPTIONAL) Define two (2) loop points for each .WAV file using Wave SE. This step is not necessary and is explained in the Wave SE manual.


Loading a Sample

To Load a Sample:

1.	Launch the Tropez program group from Program Manager.

2.	Launch the Tropez Control Panel from the Tropez program group.

3.	Click on the SampleStore button in the Tropez Control Panel and select a .WAV file to load and click OK. In the next dialog, select a General MIDI instrument to replace. Click OK to load the sample.

4.	Launch Turtle Beach's MousePlayer applet from the Tropez program group.

5.	Use Turtle Beach's MousePlayer applet to review the replacement sound of the instrument.


Adjusting the Output Level

To Adjust the Output Level:

1.	Click on the large slider in the Tropez Control Panel and with the mouse button depressed adjust the volume upward or downward as desired.

2.	Use Turtle Beach's MousePlayer applet to review the newly selected volume.


Editing a Sample

To Edit a Sample:

1.	Click on the Edit button in the Tropez Control Panel.  For the loaded sample:

2.	Adjust the volume.

3.	Adjust root key selection.

4.	Specify a General MIDI instrument to replace.

5.	Click on the Assign button.

6.	Use the MousePlayer applet to review the replacement sound of the instrument.


Saving the Current Configuration

To save the Current Configuration:

1.	Click on the Save button in the Tropez Control Panel to save the current setup into a .WFB file for future use. NOTE: Do not name the file GM_TROP.WFB, GM_MAUI.WFB, or GM_RIO.WFB.


Control Panel Buttons

The Tropez Control Panel allows you to adjust settings on Tropez. Through the Control Panel you can load samples into Tropez's memory from disk (if RAM is installed on your Tropez), replace any of the 128 General MIDI instruments with one of the uploaded samples, view Tropez's memory resources, and save/load your instrument setups (called WaveFront Banks).

If you have not installed a SIMM memory module into your Tropez, the SampleStore, Edit, and File features will not be available.

The Tropez Control Panel contains buttons that can perform the same functions as the items in the pull-down menus.

The SampleStore button is equivalent to selecting Store under the Sample menu.

The Edit button is equivalent to selecting Edit under the Sample menu.

The Resources button is equivalent to selecting Resources under the Sample menu.

The Save button is equivalent to selecting Save under the File menu.

The Load button is equivalent to selecting Load under the File menu.

The Output Level adjusts overall output. Output level indicators show the current volume of the synthesizer. Adjust the slider with the mouse or PgDn, PgUp, Down Arrow, and Up Arrow keys while the slider has input focus. The "clip" indicator above the meters illuminates when the output level passes the maximum.

The Clear button is equivalent to selecting Clear from the Synth menu.

The Meter button has no menu equivalent. This button activates or deactivates the output level meters on the Tropez Control Panel. When the Meter button is depressed, the meters are active, and when the Meter button is raised, the meters are inactive.


Tropez Menu Items

File Menu

Sample Menu

Synth Menu

Help Menu


File Menu

Load

Save

Save As

Import

Export

Exit


Load

Load retrieves a WaveFront Bank file with the .WFB extension from disk.  A WaveFront Bank file contains the sample, patch, and program information necessary to load .WAV files into Tropez, and substitute them for General MIDI instruments.

In the dialog box, select the WaveFront Bank file to load. The application loads the file and the associated .WAV files from disk. If the .WAV files are not in the expected locations, are corrupted, or Tropez becomes low on memory, the application alerts you to the problem.


Save

Save stores the current Tropez configuration (.WAV, patch and program information) to the open Tropez WaveFront Bank file. If the current configuration isn't associated with a .WFB file, the application displays a Save As dialog box and you must enter a .WFB filename to save the current configuration. If the .WFB file already exists, the application displays an overwrite confirmation dialog.


Save As

Save As saves the current Tropez configuration to a WaveFront Bank file you specify. If the .WFB file specified exists, the application displays an overwrite confirmation dialog box.


Import

Import maintains compatibility with WaveFront Sample Set (.WSS) files. With the import option, you will be able to read older patch and sample set files.


Export

Export maintains compatibility with WaveFront Sample Set (.WSS) files. With the export option, you will be able to write older patch and sample set files.


Exit

Exit allows you to leave the Tropez Control Panel.


Sample Menu

Store

Edit


Store

Store uploads a .WAV file (or sample) into Tropez and assigns it to a General MIDI instrument. Clicking on the SampleStore button in the Tropez Control Panel is equivalent to this menu selection.

Storing a Sample

To store:

1.	Press the SampleStore button.

2.	Select the .WAV file to be uploaded to Tropez.

3.	Select the General MIDI instrument to be replaced from the SampleStore dialog box.

4.	Clicking OK uploads the sample, overwriting the assignment, while pressing Cancel returns you to the SampleStore dialog box. If you are assigning a sample to a General MIDI instrument that has been replaced, an overwrite confirmation dialog will prompt you to overwrite the assignment. NOTE: If you click OK the overwritten sample is placed in No Assignment. This means the sample is still in Tropez's memory but it no longer replaces a General MIDI instrument.

5.	An hourglass will appear during sample loading. NOTE: You may not perform other operations on your computer while sample uploads occur.

Your .WAV files use up memory inside Tropez which consists of samples, patches, instruments, and RAM. Your Tropez can hold up to 256 patches and 512 samples, but some of these "slots" or "spaces" are occupied by the General MIDI samples that came with your Tropez. The amount of RAM available is dependent on the number and type of SIMMs installed in your Tropez. The General MIDI sample set leaves 51 patches and 180 samples for you to use meaning you can load a maximum of 25 stereo files or 51 monaural files, providing there is enough RAM. This is because stereo .WAV files occupy two (2) sample and two (2) patch spaces, while monaural files occupy one (1) sample and one (1) patch space.


Edit

Edit assigns a General MIDI instrument, volume, and root key selection to each .WAV file, or deletes a General MIDI assignment. Clicking on the Edit button in the Control Panel is equivalent to choosing this menu selection.

Assigning a .WAV File to a Different General MIDI Instrument or to No Assignment

To assign a .WAV file to a different General MIDI instrument or to No Assignment:

1.	Select the sample to be reassigned using the drop down list box in the Edit dialog box. Select the new General MIDI instrument assignment at the bottom of the Edit dialog box (the No Assignment selection simply retains the sample in Tropez's memory, but does not make use of it).

2.	Adjust the volume and the root key by using the slider controls.

3.	Click the Assign button once the parameters are set to the desired values. This stores all changes in the General MIDI instrument location.

Deleting a General MIDI Assignment and Restoring the Old Configuration

To delete a General MIDI assignment and restore the old configuration from Tropez:

1.	Select the sample to be deleted using the drop down list box in the Edit dialog box.

2.	Click the Delete button. If no user loaded samples remain in Tropez, the Edit dialog will close automatically.


Synth Menu

Configure

Resources

Clear

Audition Configure


Configure

Configure adjusts the voice bandwidth and master tune global synthesizer parameters. It also allows you to connect an external keyboard to Tropez's External In port and hear the synthesizer respond to your keyboard.

Voice bandwidth adjusts the 16 to 32 simultaneous voices used by Tropez via the slider control.

The number of voices determines the available sample playback bandwidth, which varies from 33,075 Hz for 32 voices to 66,150 Hz for 16 voices.

Tropez's master tuning adjusts to plus or minus 100 cents (a total of 1 semitone or 1/2 step) relative to A-440 Hz using the slider.


Resources

Resources displays the available sample memory, patch spaces, and sample spaces on Tropez. Clicking on the Resources button in the Tropez Control Panel is equivalent to choosing this menu selection.

Tropez can hold 512 samples, 256 patches and up to twelve megabytes (12M) of sample memory, depending on your configuration. Tropez does not come with sample RAM.

NOTE: Memory or sample RAM may run out before all patch and sample locations are used. This problem can be solved by (1) deleting unused samples from the sample RAM; (2) uploading samples of shorter length; and/or (3) purchasing more RAM, up to twelve megabytes, for Tropez.


Clear

Clear turns off the "clip" indicator above the level meters. The clip indicator illuminates when the output level passes a maximum reference level.


Audition Configure

Audition configure allows you to select an alternate MIDI input device for audition. The drop-down list box provides a selection of MIDI input devices.


Help Menu

Index

Product Support

Using Help

About Tropez Control Panel


Index

Index launches Help for the Tropez Control Panel. Pressing F1 also launches Help.


Product Support

Product Support displays information about Turtle Beach Systems and Turtle Beach customer support. General information and customer support phone numbers and hours of operation are included in this display.


Using Help

Using Help displays information on how to use the Windows Help System.


About Tropez Control Panel

About Tropez Control Panel displays information about the application, mode, and version.

The Reset mode indicates the synthesizer is being initialized when the Tropez Control Panel is started and the No Reset mode indicates the synthesizer is not being initialized when the Tropez Control Panel is started. Certain features are not available in No Reset mode. The No Reset mode is enabled only by providing the /R command on the command line of the Tropez Control Panel.


Using the Control Panel

Using the Control Panel with Multiple WaveFront Synthesizers

Using the Tropez Control Panel with WavePatch


Using the Control Panel with Multiple WaveFront Synthesizers

If you have more than one WaveFront synthesizer installed (such as a Turtle Beach Tropez, Maui, or Rio) the Tropez Control Panel can act as the Control Panel for those sound cards as well. In this situation, a Select pop up menu item will appear as the first menu item in the Synth menu. In this pop up menu, a list of all the detected WaveFront synthesizers will appear. If only one WaveFront synthesizer is installed in your computer, this menu item will NOT appear.

Related Topics:

Select


Select

The Select pop up menu displays the currently available WaveFront synthesizers in your computer. A check mark in the Select pop up menu appears next to the synthesizer currently being controlled. You can choose which WaveFront synthesizer is being controlled by the Control Panel software by selecting the appropriate synthesizer. Switching to a different synthesizer will cause the Control Panel to go through appropriate initializations and then become the Control Panel for the newly selected synthesizer.


Using the Tropez Control Panel with WavePatch

The Tropez Control Panel can be used in conjunction with WavePatch, Turtle Beach's WaveFront synthesizer patch editor. This is a useful feature if you want to see levels or adjust the volume with WavePatch running simultaneously. .WAV files loaded into Tropez using SampleStore with the Tropez Control Panel are recognized and fully editable with WavePatch. .WAV files loaded into Tropez using SampleStore with WavePatch are partially editable using the Tropez Control Panel.


Command Line Options

The Tropez Control Panel supports a number of command line options to change the Control Panel's behavior when started. The command line options are as follows:

Related Topics:

/Y <WaveFront Synthesizer Number>

/R

/Z <WaveFront Synthesizer Name>

/M <.WSS file name>

/W <.WAV File pathname>

/P <Program number>

Adding a Command Line Option


/Y <WaveFront Synthesizer Number>

Indicates which WaveFront synthesizer to control when starting the Control Panel. DEFAULT IS 0. Range is 0 to the number of WaveFront synthesizers installed in your computer


/R

Indicates the Control Panel should NOT reset the synthesizer on start up. This greatly improves the speed of starting the Control Panel, however, none of the sample/bank storing or editing features are available in this mode.


/Z <WaveFront Synthesizer Name>

Starts the Control Panel with the synthesizer named on the command line. The name is the WaveFront name assigned by the Gatekeeper DLL. (In the case of Tropez, "Tropez" would be the name to use.) If an unrecognizable name is used, the Control Panel defaults to the first installed WaveFront synthesizer.


/M <.WSS file name>

Starts the Control Panel and loads the .WSS (WaveFront Sample Set) file specified.


/W <.WAV File pathname>

Starts the Control Panel and loads the .WAV file specified. If no program is specified (see /P), the .WAV file will be loaded into the first instrument, Acoustic Grand Piano.


/P <Program number>

Starts the Control Panel and loads the .WAV file specified with the /W parameter into the specified program number. This number is 0 based and should not exceed 127. To load to drums, specify D followed by the drum number (such as "D14" for the Electric Snare).


Adding a Command Line Option

To add a command line option:

1. In the Program Manager select the Tropez Control Panel icon.

2. Select Properties in the Program Manager's File menu.

3. Add the Command Line Option in the Command Line box. NOTE: Be careful not to erase what is displayed in the Command Line box. You only need to add to the line that is shown.

For example, to change the default to WaveFront Synthesizer 1 and indicate that the Control Panel should not reset the synthesizer on startup, your command line should read as follows:

C:\TROPEZ\ WFCP.EXE /Y1 /R


Glossary of Terms

.WAV file

Clear button

Clip indicator

Edit button

General MIDI

Load button

Loop

Meter button

MousePlayer

No Assignment

Output Level

Resources button

Sample

SampleStore

Save button

SIMM RAM

Tropez Control Panel

WaveFront Bank

WaveFront synthesizer


.WAV file

Format used by Windows for storing digital audio on disk.


Clear button

Turns off the clip indicator above the level meters.


Clip indicator

Area at the top of the level meter that indicates when the output level passes the maximum.


Edit button

Allows the user to assign a General MIDI instrument, volume, and root key selection to a .WAV file.


General MIDI

A set of 128 standard sounds and their associated presets that is identical on all MIDI instruments.


Load button

Retrieves a WaveFront Bank file with the .WFB extension from disk.


Loop

Repetition defined by a start point and end point in time.


Meter button

Activates or deactivates the level meter on the Tropez Control Panel.


MousePlayer

A Turtle Beach application that allows you to preview soundfiles.


No Assignment

Location of a sample that is still in Tropez's memory but no longer replaces a General MIDI instrument preset.


Output Level

Adjusts the overall output of Tropez.


Resources button

Displays the available sample memory, patch spaces, and sample spaces on Tropez.


Sample

A digitally-recorded sound; to digitally encode an analog signal.


SampleStore

Turtle Beach technology that allows the user to create samples and store them in place of General MIDI presets.


Save button

Saves the current Tropez configuration to the open WaveFront Bank file.


SIMM RAM

A memory module connected to Tropez that activates SampleStore.


Tropez Control Panel

Device that controls Tropez's WaveFront synthesizer. Via the Control Panel, a user can activate Tropez's SampleStore technology, as well as load, edit, and save .WAV files.


WaveFront Bank

A customized instrument setup constructed by the user using SampleStore.


WaveFront synthesizer

The Integrated Circuit Systems synthesizer that is used on the Turtle Beach Maui, Rio, and Monterey.