thank you all for your helpful responses. does seem like i have plenty of
correct answers, and, as soon as i figure out what they mean, will put them
right to work.

seems as though i have been diabolically trapped into achieving a greater
understanding of the program in my search for an "easier" way to do what i
had just painstakingly figured out, namely (as a private respondent
inquired) create large multi stage envelopes. you see i'm just another
interloper who stumbled in via the dreaded keyboard article. know what
that's like: i have tour buses driving by my apartment on the hour
squawking about George Washington. but i have a copy of the manual, and "C
for Dummies," both of which will no doubt enable further exploration of the
meaning of easy. thought i had turned myself in for the gallows with the
non-programmer moniker in my follow up transmission, but you were all very
patient, even if you never did see Peter Sellers in Being There.

to Mike & Russell & Eli -i learned a couple other lessons here. a more
complete and *carefully chosen* example in my original question would have
generated less confusion. but then it would have gleaned less
possibilities. sigh. to John ff -is the bath in your address that town in
southern england with roman baths? wink (non-programmer language). drove
through there once. Mike & Russ again -that table thing does seem like the
wave of the future as i extend envlps ever into it. will save for later.
Pete -is there a diagnosis that coincides with this obsession? Eli -by one
at a time i mean fascistic micro surgery as opposed to some device that
would randomly assign such values, or assign them for me according to some
preconceived formula. more power.

But, as that scary guy Jackee Criswell, the one instigating all the
arachniphobia (not in my dictionary -sp Pete?), has pointed out: 1. it's
time to give back a little, and 2. the manual is pretty opaque; if a
programmer is experiencing discomfort with it, how long will i have to lock
*my*self in the bathroom?

so an offer. sure to mortally wound all who accept. and forever refrigerate
me in Dante's Ninth Circle. somewhere in my deep dark past i was a high
school teacher in the new york city public school system. not sure why i
mention that but anyway, how evangelical are you csounders?

i will assist in writing an explanation for any csound feature, for
inclusion in the manual, or FAQ, or supplementary guidebook, or appendix,
or tutorial, or whatever, for anything one of you can get me to understand.
an explanation fathomable to anyone who has graduated high school in the ny
city public school system. no better scratch that. i'll just do my best to
make it as simple as possible. and strive mightily to be better at writing
answers than questions. not a totally selfless offer. but it's all i've
got. and you've got my email address.

now let it be perfectly clear, that about all i do know is what appeared in
my original question this past wednesday, 12 march. if yes, you might want
to give me a couple of weeks to run through a couple more tutorials. ok?

Thanks again,
tolve
Creative Dir: Audio
TAOHaus: theater artists' omnibus
Bowling Green Station
PO Box 1062
New York, NY  10274-1062

Vmail: 212 388-8027