Commodore VIC-20 - Page 113

Keep this "programming shorthand" in mind as we show you some
more examples of using the VIC speakers.
HOW MUSIC WORKS ON THE VIC
As already mentioned, the VIC's speakers each cover 3 octaves,
but together reach a total range of 5 octaves. This is because the
VIC's 3 tone generators are "staggered" so the octaves of the
different speakers overlap. A more graphic picture of which
speakers cover which octaves and how they overlap is shown in the
chart on page 99. Musical note values are shown below:
TABLE OF MUSICAL NOTES
APPROX.
NOTE
C
c#
D
D#
E
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
SPEAKER
COMMANDS
POKE 36878
POKE 36874
POKE 36875
POKE 36876
POKE 36877
,x
,x
,x
.X
X
VALUE
135
143
147
151
159
163
167
175
179
183
187
191
195
199
201
203
207
209
212
WHERE
0
128
128
128
128
X
10
to
to
to
to
APPROX.
CAN
15
255
255
255
255
NOTE
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
c#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
BE:
VALUE
215
217
219
221
223
225
227
228
229
231
232
233
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
FUNCTION:
sets volume
plays tone
plays tone
plays tone
plays "noise"
97