There are music-editors on PC, to make 8bit music (emulated) for classic computers. Then there is "export" function and the songs can be played on real machines and used in own programs. There is GoatTracker for C64, RMT-Tracker for Atari XL, Vortex-Tracker for ZX Spectrum (and many more).
Can we expect anything like this for C=264 (TED)? What do You think of the idea?
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? Heh the idea is a cool one, now we need the pure dirty practice As I've just pointed out, I've seen something of the right kind, but that's an almost abandoned beta... So we have to strongly hope that...
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? worst case: use the c64 one and combine it with the best digi converter available. maybe sid conversion quality could be improved by switching CPU to a higher speed (NTSC+partially switch off screen)
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? Well, surely for 1) some "high-tek" engine with all the possible powers of the CPU and TED - would be very welcomed. However, for 2) the regular songs-engine for demos/games would be good as well, with the tracker on PC and possibility of exporting into 264.
One picture worth of 1000 words - some video examples of what I mean.
ZX Spectrum 48K - a BEEPOLA tracker with a lot of implemented engines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYo10buVJds
ZX Spectrum 128K - VORTEX TRACKER (for a standard Speccy or for the TurboSound card): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVtzffOU3sk
ZX Spectrum 128K with TSFM soundcard - TSFM Tracker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hC1yxA7WxM
Atari XL/XE - RMT Tracker (for a standard Atari or Atari with 2 Pokeys) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpR200g3hZs
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? Yeees, I know I know. This is true. After researching all the BEEPER programs from 80s, for ZX Spectrum, it would seem I should be able to do that. I really thought so. But there is some magical barrier of understanding and I don't get it all, even 'though I know the rules behind the TED. On the other hand, it's not actually about me, if we're talkin' in general - such a cross-platform tracker might increase a number of new musicians on 264. Which is tempting.
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? Just to add some pepper: if a TEDsound tracker would break into the scene, Yerzmyey would compose fantastic stuff like this.
Luca meant some comparison of course. The stuff is indeed from 3 channels generator, and indeed the same that in Amstrad is (the AY-3-8910). He meant the importance of quality tool. With better tools we have better work's results.
Well, anyway it was just an idea - about the cross-platform program. The sound-engine of TED's emulation for such a theoretical utility - already exists in the best emulators.
On the other hand, there are widely used converters by Shiru, prepared for Spectrum48. he samples all required instruments into XM file and released it along with the converter. People compose stuff in the XM (MilkyTracker or whatever else). of course it sounds very different but it's enough because testing on emulator is damn fast.
That's what Shiru wrote in the OCTODE engine's description (I dunno if it's helpful but I hope so) -
******************** How to make music
There is no dedicated editor for the engine. You can make music using any tracker with XM format support. You have to follow certain limitations. You can hear sound while editing using template module provided, it has sounds sampled from the engine, so the sound is somewhat similar to the end result, although not much. After you have made a song, you can convert it to an assembly source file with data in needed format.
You can use patterns with arbitrary lengths in your song. Module should have no less than eight channels. You can loop the order list to any position. You can use both tempo and BPM to change speed.
To set speed, you can use global tempo and BPM settings, or use Fxx effects on the first row of a pattern. Every pattern can have own speed. The speed will be recalculated as needed, to closest possible in the player.
You can use any notes, however, there is a lot of detune in higher octaves. You can also use effect E5x on the notes (finetune). x is 0..8..F, 8 means no change in the note frequency, 7 means a bit higher frequency, 9 means a bit lower frequency. This could be used to produce 'fat' sounds by putting the same note on two channels, and using E59 on every note of one of the channels. Be careful if you use E57 or lower on low notes, it could move frequency out of range. Converter will show you warning messages in this case.
You can put drums to any channel, only one drum can be played on a row. Different drum sounds assigned to notes C-4,D-4,E-4,F-4,G-4,A-4,B-4,C-5 (eight sounds).
Music data format
List of 16-bit pointers to patterns, LSB/MSB 0 16-bit pointer to loop point (in the list of the patterns above) Patterns data
Pattern data format
Tempo 1..65535 Eight bytes of 8-bit note dividers per row, optional preceding byte is 255 for end of the pattern, or 240..254 for drums
Note divider 0 is note cut ********************
After conversion (lasting 1 second, hehe) we have a ready TAP to use in our own program as music.
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? You've gone off the rails now which is not even related to what I posted nor what I see from Luca's post.
If I want to create tracker music I have a tower sat next to me and inside it is an Amiga. I also have a couple of electronic keyboard's for messing about with. I just lack the knowledge of the inner workings of TED as BASIC is too slow to do anything another than recreate a Udo Gertz tune like Tom Thumb. I was bored of that so I did a version with my keyboard. Have a look on the Tom Thumb page and scroll down to Sounds/Music. Download tom_thumb_techno.mp3 and enjoy.
> You've gone off the rails now which is not even related to what I posted nor what I see from Luca's post. ------------------------ Nope, I just went back to the original topic of this thread, which came a little bit off. Possible PC utils for TED music-making.
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? Is the music in More Tea, Vicar? a cover, possibly from the Amiga? It's been bugging me since the weekend when i was getting the review done for OSG!
Re: PC tracker for TED music-making???? TMR: Yes, we put the song into this ZX game.
It's a cover not from Amiga but a cover of 3 electronic music songs (merged in one), it was a famous musician in 80s - KOTO. That's why the song is entitled "KotoMix" and I wrote it "from ear", listening to KOTO's CD album.
Of course I'm not sure how good or how complicated songs I'd be able to make on Plus/4 but without a normal tool I will never know.
PC tracker for TED music-making????
