+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + + + Read this file in any editor with + + 80 columns, tab size set to 8. + + + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* + + + The Excellence In Art ModuleSchool, Lesson #1 + + + *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* Welcome! This is my first part of the "module-writing school", supplied with the Octalyser 8-channel tracker for the Atari STe/Falcon series of computers. However, since the module format was originally put together on the Amiga and conversions of that program ("SoundTracker" by Karsten Obarski) are available for all sorts of computers, you should be able to use this text, and the accompanying module, on most "decent" computers, just as long as you have a tracker program that supports most (preferably ALL) ProTracker/Amiga commands. This first lesson will assume that you already know your way around the interface of your tracker, that you can load and save modules and samples, switch between Song and Pattern playing modes, edit a pattern, etc. The modules supplied in this "module-writing school" are not supposed to be great music, they were made to be SIMPLE, so that anyone could see what is going on. A big hi and thanx to the Octalyser STe team, for coming up with a great product, and for giving me this opportunity to spread my knowledge and hopefully help those interested in music to better utilise their tracker programs. Questions, feedback etc: Excellence In Art Per Almered Betesv. 24 S-240 10 Dolby Sweden Phone: Intl: +46 46 202 201 Sweden: 046-202 201 Phax: Intl: +46 46 202 095 Sweden: 046-202 095 *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* If possible, print this file to paper and read it while listening to the module one pattern at a time. *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* Pattern 0: A simple drum pattern and baseline. Note the ending of the drums. The "C" command means "Set Volume". To get the last fill to sound more "real", I lower some of the notes. Experiment, try to find something that sounds good. The bass has a VERY hard attack. At position 00 the tempo is set to 7 using the "F" ("Set Tempo") command. To understand what the "07" after the "F" means, we must know a little bit about coding. The screen is updated 50 times a second, and for a number of reasons, its very convenient to call the moduleplayer-program 50 times a second. So, tempo "F07" means that the computer will wait 7 "frames" (50ths of a second) before it proceeds to the next line in the pattern. Pattern 1: There. The "9" command means "Sample Offset". What it does? It plays the sample not from the beginning, but from a specified number of bytes after the start of the sample. For instance, if you enter "901", the sample will start at position $100 (256) instead of zero. if you enter "903", the sample will start playing at position $300 (256*3) instead. What it does here, is it gradually removes the attack from the bass. It sounds a bit like if you had different samples. This is REALLY useful to make an instrument sound more "real"! Pattern 2: Here I've added some chords. I will NOT try and teach you how to place chords onto a given baseline, there are so many rules (and most can be broken), that I'll just leave it up to you to try and see what I've done. A tip for those of you that "steal" samples from other modules: Always analyse the harmonic content of the chord samples, and save the samples with names that correspond with the harmonic content. For example, sample number 6 is a C minor chord, so the sample is named "C MINOR CHORD". It is is also pretty important to know which note of the chord is the highest one, because that's important if you want to play a melody line with chords. Pattern 3: Ok, so now the chords are a bit more "alive". The "A" command means "Volume Slide". It lowers or raises the volume of the track with a given speed. "A0F" means "drop the volume as fast as possible", and "A01" means "lower the volume as SLOWLY as possible". If we separate the command into "Axy", x means how fast you want to raise the volume, and y how fast you want it to disappear. Note that I don't actually PLAY a note to raise the volume to its maximum (except when I want to play a different note, of course!). Instead I just enter the samplenumber. The difference between this method and playing the note again is that the sample doesn't restart. This sounds a bit better, because you don't get the attack of the chord everytime you raise the volume to its maximum. Pattern 4: Now I've added a lead. Doesn't sound too good, huh? Pattern 5: The lead has been adjusted. The notes are cut pretty short using a "C00" (Set Volume 00), and I've added toneslides and vibratos. There are two toneslide commands, "1xx" and "2xx", and they go up and down respectively with "xx" speed. When I want to slide to a specified note I use the "3xx" command, "Tone Portamento". This command slides from the current note to the new one with "xx" speed. This way I know where the tone will "land". The syntax of the "4xy", "Vibrato", command is speed x and range y. Once I've used the vibrato, I don't have to set the speed and range again, I just enter "400", and it uses the old setting. The same applies for the "Tone Portamento" ("3xx"). There are two VERY interesting commands that are related to the "Vibrato" (4) and "Tone Portamento" (3) commands. These are commands "6xy" and "5xy". The "6xy" is a combination of the "400" command and the "Axy" command. "6xy" stands for "VolumeSlide With Vibrato". The syntax is the same as for "VolumeSlide", but it also adds a previous vibrato to the sound. Very nice. The "5xy" command, "Tone Portamento With VolumeSlide", continues the toneslide of a previous "3xx" command, and you are free to lower or raise the volume with "x" and "y", just like the "6xy" command. Pattern 6: Whoops! What happened? Suddenly the lead sounds like it's gotten some echo. What I've done is I've inserted notes where the original lead was silent. I've got two extra lead samples, both with volumes lower than the original. It's pretty simple: I find the first position with a "C00", look THREE positions up, and copy that line to the current one, then I just replace the sample number (that was originally "03") with "04", so the echo gets a lower volume. And that's basically it, with the exception that if the "original" tone used samplenumber "04", I give the echo (which is in fact an echo of an echo...) samplenumber "05". Pattern 7: Stop the tracker. Scroll down to position "37". Look at track 1. The effect command is "Dxx". This means "PatternBreak". What it does is it plays this line, but when it's finished, it skips to the next pattern in the songpositionlist, and starts playing that from position "xx". Usually, "xx" would be "00". Another interesting command is the "Bxx" command, "Song Position Jump". If you enter for example "B03" at a position, the tracker will jump to song position 3. This is useful, since most trackers will not use the "restart" option correctly. Pattern 8: Just playing around with the "D00" command. Songposition "0C", Pattern 9: Here's the ending of the module. At position "3B", I put a "F1F", "Set Tempo 1F", just to make sure some quiet time passes before the module restarts. On the Atari (and I assume most computer where it takes substantial amount of time to replay a module) avoid using "CIA" timing, tempos "F20" and above. These are fine tempo changes, used for those who need exact tempo control. If you by mistake entered a tempo above 1F, just set the tempo to "F80", and you should be just fine again. This, however, does not apply to some "bastard" trackers. I hope you will have enjoyed this first introductory lesson. If you have some kind of trouble, think there are things in this file (or the accompanying module) that needs further explaining, PLEASE contact me! All help will be greatly appreciated! FILES YOU SHOULD HAVE: LESSON_1.TXT This textfile. LESSON_1.MOD The module described in this file.