Vortex Tracker help
Vortex Tracker help
There is a specially gifted 1% of the population that don't find AY Trackers impenetrable—SCIENTIFIC FACT.
Sorry for being dense here, but is someone willing to clearly explain the simplest way of creating a new file in Vortex Tracker, and inputting one line (or the minimum necessary), so that it makes a sound (any sound, even a horrible one) when you press play.
I've read up on how the AY chip works, and even still I am closer to being able to write my own AY engine than I am to get a single sound out of an Vortex Tracker.
Sorry for being dense here, but is someone willing to clearly explain the simplest way of creating a new file in Vortex Tracker, and inputting one line (or the minimum necessary), so that it makes a sound (any sound, even a horrible one) when you press play.
I've read up on how the AY chip works, and even still I am closer to being able to write my own AY engine than I am to get a single sound out of an Vortex Tracker.
- lister_of_smeg
- Microbot
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Re: Vortex Tracker help
I know this doesn't answer your question, but have you tried Arkos Tracker 2?
http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/
http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/
Re: Vortex Tracker help
https://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/27/v ... racker-ii/
Btw the most recent version of VTII is available at https://bitbucket.org/ivanpirog/vortext ... downloads/ . The above tutorial is for original VTII though, but it should be enough to get you started either way.
Btw the most recent version of VTII is available at https://bitbucket.org/ivanpirog/vortext ... downloads/ . The above tutorial is for original VTII though, but it should be enough to get you started either way.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
Just to note, a couple of things to watch out for in VT 2.5 are the "Envelope as Note" and "Decimal for Noise Level in pattern and sample" options. I don't recommend saving your song with either of them enabled, as it will get corrupted if you use envelope notes lower than C-1 or noise values >= $0a. It should be fine to use them otherwise as long as they're turned off for saving.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
It's still 'Vortex Tracker Help', but a different problem, so I'll post it here.
Someone has provided me with an .AY file that gives the following error when opened in both VT 2 and 2.5.
Someone has provided me with an .AY file that gives the following error when opened in both VT 2 and 2.5.
Any ideas?Text module loader error
Module not found (line: 1)
- PROSM
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Re: Vortex Tracker help
.AY files are generally used to store music rips from games; they contain the original music handler code and the accompanying data, so the music player is essentially an emulator without video output. As such, I don't think .AY files will open in VT. I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject however, so I may be wrong.
All software to-date
Working on something, as always.
Working on something, as always.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
Cheers. I've asked for more info on how it was made (it's for Woot), but I've not heard back yet. Depending what I hear back, I might have to miss this one out.PROSM wrote: ↑Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:20 pm .AY files are generally used to store music rips from games; they contain the original music handler code and the accompanying data, so the music player is essentially an emulator without video output. As such, I don't think .AY files will open in VT. I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject however, so I may be wrong.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
This is what I watched to get me started. It’s all still seems a bit crackers but managed to get a tune or two out of it so far. (When I say ‘tune’ I mean that in the least possible musical sense)
Re: Vortex Tracker help
Cheers. I've seen that video, and (after having a little chuckle that David Saphier talks like Justin Moorhouse) I managed to get Vortex tracker to make a noise! I haven't taken it any further because I would need months or years of playing around to get the vaguest understanding of music. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm at the 'old dog new tricks' stage of life...
Re: Vortex Tracker help
The old dog is never too old! I'm in my 40s and can confirm that it's still possible to learn this stuff! z80 machine code is another matter and one that I'm failing at badly, but you can do this for sure! I just followed the video step by step to recreate the tune he creates in the video and then went from there. Probably also helps that I bought myself a small USB keyboard - link below. Makes it much easier to come up with a tune than stabbing at the QWERTY keys!R-Tape wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:27 pmCheers. I've seen that video, and (after having a little chuckle that David Saphier talks like Justin Moorhouse) I managed to get Vortex tracker to make a noise! I haven't taken it any further because I would need months or years of playing around to get the vaguest understanding of music. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm at the 'old dog new tricks' stage of life...
(https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Audio-Keysta ... 139&sr=8-3)
Re: Vortex Tracker help
Vortex Tracker has also undergone a large number of improvements and bugfixes since this topic was created, potentially including fixes for the issues I mentioned earlier. It looks like a Delphi license is needed to build the project though.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
Yes - forgot to mention that I'm using Vortex Tracker 2.5!djnzx48 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:08 am Vortex Tracker has also undergone a large number of improvements and bugfixes since this topic was created, potentially including fixes for the issues I mentioned earlier. It looks like a Delphi license is needed to build the project though.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
The latest release appears to be version 2.6, although that's been out for a while now.doone128 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:17 amYes - forgot to mention that I'm using Vortex Tracker 2.5!djnzx48 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:08 am Vortex Tracker has also undergone a large number of improvements and bugfixes since this topic was created, potentially including fixes for the issues I mentioned earlier. It looks like a Delphi license is needed to build the project though.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
Thanks - although the downloads tab only has 2.5. How on earth to you decipher what's going on on that page to download 2.6?
Re: Vortex Tracker help
I guess I'm an old dog too Really don't have any faintiest idea how to start with making music.The old dog is never too old! I'm in my 40s and can confirm that it's still possible to learn this stuff! z80 machine code is another matter and one that I'm failing at badly, but you can do this for sure! I just followed the video step by step to recreate the tune he creates in the video and then went from there. Probably also helps that I bought myself a small USB keyboard - link below. Makes it much easier to come up with a tune than stabbing at the QWERTY keys!
And there are actually two levels of confusion here. First thing is mastering different trackers interface. Which are usually quite user unfriendly.
But another thing is making pleasant music, not some combination of random noises. It's like being able to write and being able to write poetry.
Speaking of keyboard I believe that experts of making Spectrum music like Gasman or Yerzmyey don't "type" music on standard PC keyboards but rather use some kind of piano like keyboards connected to their computers to create their songs. I would like to hear if it's true or not.
I asked Yerzmyey once a philosophical question "Do you first think up music in your head and then write it down? Or do you just start pressing keys without any plan and then accept the result or not?" He was quite puzzled I guess that at some moment making music is like walking - you do it but you don't analyse it much.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
I don't think the binaries have been 'officially' released. There are copies out there though - IIRC n1k-o used 2.6 for the Aliens: Neoplasma music.
Whether trackers are user-friendly or not is probably a point of personal preference. One of the advantages of tracker interfaces is that they are usually more compact than traditional piano roll interfaces.
The initial difficulty I faced when using a tracker was having to remember what each of the columns were for, and what numbers/letters are supposed to go in them. If you're starting out the majority of the columns can be ignored - the most important ones for PT3/Vortex are note, sample and volume. The note columns are just a more compact way of representing note pitches than the standard height on a staff.
This can get more intuitive with practice. I still have MIDI files of the first 'songs' I composed over ten years ago, and they all sound like you describe - completely random sequences of notes with no sense of tune or structure. A way to get better at this might be to try covering an existing tune, focusing on the notes and timing. Having an idea of how the different scales work could also help.
I'm clearly not an expert, but I only ever used a standard PC keyboard for my songs. Spectrum music is generally input note by note rather than performed in real-time, so a MIDI keyboard doesn't give much of an advantage over a PC keyboard for that particular purpose IMO. MIDI keyboards are more useful for playing around and coming up with ideas.Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:35 am Speaking of keyboard I believe that experts of making Spectrum music like Gasman or Yerzmyey don't "type" music on standard PC keyboards but rather use some kind of piano like keyboards connected to their computers to create their songs. I would like to hear if it's true or not.
Personally I need to have a basic foundation ready before trying to write anything down. Others may find it easier to come up with tunes on command, but I can't do it. Ideas may also arrive at random times when you're not expecting them to.Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:35 am I asked Yerzmyey once a philosophical question "Do you first think up music in your head and then write it down? Or do you just start pressing keys without any plan and then accept the result or not?" He was quite puzzled I guess that at some moment making music is like walking - you do it but you don't analyse it much.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
There are a couple of presentations about AY/YM music scheduled for CAFe demoparty on Friday. Could be worth checking out if you understand Russian.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
So here’s what I came up with after watching the tutorial video on here. I made it originally to go on a Spectrum Next game but by the time I’d got this completed, the guy had got music from elsewhere so I decided to use it in the promo of the ZZAP! Retro Gaming Event.
Any opinions and thoughts appreciated!
https://www.facebook.com/21527147016574 ... 96?sfns=mo
Any opinions and thoughts appreciated!
https://www.facebook.com/21527147016574 ... 96?sfns=mo
Re: Vortex Tracker help
It's a thumbs up from me. Good percussion and lead-in. Top work. It would fit an action/adventure game very nicely.
If you can do this—you can definitely do z80 asm!
Re: Vortex Tracker help
That is a SUPERB lineup, especially the multicolour lecture (though granted it's not related to this topic). It'd be great to have these kind of events in the UK. I could imagine the likes of gasman doing interesting talks.djnzx48 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 23, 2019 5:15 am There are a couple of presentations about AY/YM music scheduled for CAFe demoparty on Friday.
Assuming they get made available I'll have a look, but unless Denis Grachev is planning to sing this kid's song I'm going to struggle to say the least!Could be worth checking out if you understand Russian.
Re: Vortex Tracker help
Apologies if I'm being really stupid, but having made something on Vortex Tracker 2.5, I can export it as a .tap file ...
... but how do then play it on a Spectrum.
I'm left with the two data files, that I can load - apparently the player, and the data
But given ...
I thought ...
Randomize usr 49152 (to initialise)
then
Randomize usr 49157 (to play it)
seemed sensible, looking at the 'HINTS' - but that doesn't work
What am I doing wrong?
... but how do then play it on a Spectrum.
I'm left with the two data files, that I can load - apparently the player, and the data
But given ...
I thought ...
Randomize usr 49152 (to initialise)
then
Randomize usr 49157 (to play it)
seemed sensible, looking at the 'HINTS' - but that doesn't work
What am I doing wrong?
CLEAR 23855
Re: Vortex Tracker help
All looks correct to me.
Are you doing LOAD""CODE twice (for the player then the music)?
Then for playing:
CALL 49152 once only
then repeatedly call 49157 once every frame (or 10 PAUSE 1: RANDOMIZE USR 49157: GOTO 10 if BASIC).
Are you doing LOAD""CODE twice (for the player then the music)?
Then for playing:
CALL 49152 once only
then repeatedly call 49157 once every frame (or 10 PAUSE 1: RANDOMIZE USR 49157: GOTO 10 if BASIC).
- Alessandro
- Dynamite Dan
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Re: Vortex Tracker help
Here is a simple program that will play the music indefinitely (if "Disable Loop" hasn't been checked in the export preferences) unless a key is pressed. Run it with RANDOMIZE USR 49120 after you have loaded both the player and the music data. Change the value of ORG in order to adapt the program to the export address (the program is 31 bytes long but I rounded its example address to 49120 which is 32 bytes less than 49152).
Code: Select all
PLAYER EQU 49152
ORG 49120
LD A,1
LD (PLAYER+10),A
CALL PLAYER
EI
LOOP:
HALT
CALL PLAYER+5
XOR A
IN A,(254)
CPL
AND 31
JR NZ,FINE
LD A,(PLAYER+10)
RLA
JR NC,LOOP
FINE:
CALL PLAYER+8
RET