Note Tecniche 11/11

( Throughout the text for the Visit, click on the phrases in this colour to see the relative FIGURES )

SOUND RECORDINGS

The main scope of this Chapter is to equip the system with "recitals" and "vocal readings" as an accompaniment to the text on view. The solution we have adopted does not wish to impose our choices on the User and at the same time avoid any difficulties that could arise regarding "copyright". The functions in this Chapter will allow the User to easily record readings and information "for his or her personal use" and to later enjoy them as part of "DANTE 2000", for example listening to the readings from the Comedy by Vittorio Sermonti or Vittorio Gassman.

After we had accomplished this main aim, and remembering that "DANTE 2000" can be used as a work tool, we thought it would be a good idea to include a "VOCAL PLANNER", an instrument that the User will find extremely useful.

To exploit the above function, obviously your computer must be equipped with a SOUND CARD (which is necessary for the System in any case) and a MICROPHONE (check that the recording volume is set correctly). These means will allow the User to easily start making his or her recordings, which will be memorised in the special "Sound Font Archive" (see top left, Fig. 27).

See Figure 27 - Page dedicated to Sound Recordings.

The Sound Fonts Archive can receive pre-recorded external fonts (as long as they are Audio, or ".wav") as well as supply its own Fonts externally, through the "IMPORT" / "EXPORT" commands.

The Sound Fonts in the Archive can be used for TWO PURPOSES:

They can be heard, see the Chapter "WORKS and CARDS ARCHIVE", whilst reading the Works (in which case, remember to turn OFF the "Messages ON/OFF" ) on the home-page ;
They can be used for "VOCAL MESSAGES" which are announced as "automatic messages" at set times, as explained later.

SIMPLY LISTENING TO THE SOUND FONTS

All the recorded Sound fonts can be accessed and heard from this Chapter or when consulting the "DANTE'S WORKS and Information CARDS"; these take a two-page spread, one displaying the "Documents selected" and the other for consulting the "Texts" in question. The User will soon learn from experience the method that suits him or her best. Here, we'd like to give some tips for frequently occurring situations - the first in the event you already have recordings of "readings from the Cantos" from the "Comedy", the second about "translations into your own language" of Dante's works in "Latin:"

If you have selected "one or more Cantos from the Comedy" on the same page, once you have started the Sound Fonts, listen to them together with the tercets.
If you have selected groups of "isolated tercets", i.e. in different context, then ask for the "CONTEXT" for each tercet, and then listen and read the Canto on each new page.
If the "Index-Card" selected concerns Chapters on Dante's works in "Latin", you can call up the text for the Chapter by using the "TEXT" command. Then activate the Sound Font on the following page to get the translation into your own language of the Latin text displayed on the screen.

When you intend listening to the Sound Fonts, always remember to turn OFF the "Messages ON/OFF" function with a click before leaving the Home-page ( see Figure 1 ).

SOUND FONT FOR VOCAL MESSAGES

The second application of the Sound Fonts in the Archive is to create "VOCAL MESSAGES". Below are some examples of how to exploit this feature, while we refer the Reader to the "???" command for explanations on how to record the messages and set their automatic transmission ( see Figure 27 ).

For a generic MESSAGE, you must first decide the time interval between the messages that the System will relay automatically; to do this choose one of the 5 possible options :

DATED [1] (*) - your message will be given on a set date ; for example : "13th December 2004" ( classical example of an appointment ).
YEARLY [2] (*) - Your message will be announced on the same date every year. Example : "29th March" ( someone's birthday? ).
MONTHLY [3] (*) - Your message will be announced on the same date each month, for example : on the "12th" ( a monthly payment or the rent due? ).
WEEKLY [4] - Your message will be given on a fixed day of the week; for example : "Wednesday" (this could be to remind you of a television programme you don't want to miss, or if there are parking problems due to street cleaning, markets etc.)

(*) You can fix the number of days your message is given before the event itself ( days Notice ).

___________________ C O N C L U S I O N S _____________________

With such a high level of freedom, the User can use his or her imagination at will to create their own "personal DANTE 2000", perfectly enjoyable and fashioned to their own requirements. We have come to the end of our introduction, and after our part of this task all we have left to say to our Users is : "enjoy 'DANTE 2000' !".