Ann Hell Ex Machina README
==========================

 Ann Hell Ex Machina - Music programming language and compiler
 Copyright (C) 2003-2011 Angel Ortega <angel@triptico.com>
 Home Page: http://triptico.com/software/ahxm.html

This software is GPL. NO WARRANTY. See file 'COPYING' for details.

Introduction
------------

Ann Hell Ex Machina (AHXM) is a set of tools for composing and generating
music. Given a text file in a special-purpose music definition programming
language (the Ann Hell Scripting, or AHS for short), it outputs
multi-channel wave files much like a music compiler. The included software
synthesizer supports raw PCM, .wav, .pat and .sf2 files as instrument
definitions and a full set of digital filters as echoes, flangers and
reverbs. MIDI output to external synthesizers is also supported.

The AHS language resembles text-based music markup as the one in Lilypond,
with more specialized commands for the PCM wave generation, digital effects
or the MIDI definitions. Simple notes and chords, repeating blocks,
patterns, arpeggiators, tempo and measure changes, transpositions, staccato
/ tenuto, marks, random blocks, are all usable via simple (usually
one-letter) commands. Stereo, quad, 5.1 or whatever desired number of audio
channels can be used and each software synthesizer note be mapped to any of
them freely. Input formats not directly supported can be used via external
filters.

This is a very personal project and its features are fitted to my own way of
making music, so there may be missing capabilities that you, as a musician,
consider essential, and others that you may see as superfluous. I don't
care. This software is made for me, by me. I'll consider any patch from
external developers, but only accept the ones I feel meet my needs.

This software is designed for Unix/Linux systems, but also runs under win32.

If you want to hear examples of music made with Ann Hell Ex Machina, go to
http://triptico.com/annhell/ (the Ann Hell Home Page).

Compiling and installing
------------------------

As always,

	./config.sh
	make
	su -c "make install"

As this program relies heavily in floating pointing arithmetic, it can
benefit greatly from compiler optimizations, so you can try:

	CFLAGS="-O2 -ffast-math" ./config.sh
	make
	su -c "make install"

----
Angel Ortega - http://triptico.com