Note: This Soundtracker is based on the MasterSoundtracker V1.0
by TIP/PROPHETS and mainly on Soundtracker V2.2 by Unknown/D.O.C
Soundtracker V2.4 - A Quick Clarification.
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Last changes done on: 07-29-89.
Update done by : MnemoTroN.
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New features:
-------------
- Built-in Preset-Editor
with - Read Path
- Print PLst
- Load Sample function
- Print Song option
- Filter switch
- Play-Timer
The Song.
---------
Any piece of music written with Soundtracker 2.4 is build up from patterns.
Soundtracker holds a table with information about the sequence in which
these parts must be played. With 'Position' you determine your position in
the table. With 'Pattern' you define what pattern to play at that
position. 'Length' defines the total size of the table. The full sequence
of Patterns is the Song.
The Keys.
---------
The original (V1.8) version of the Soundtracker had a German keymap.
Version 2.4 supports a standard USA keymap and this ensures compatibility
with ALL Amigas. The keyboard has been extended, try typing on the whole
key-rows. The keys on your Amiga have been grouped to represent the layout
of a two- octave piano-keyboard. You can "shift" the keyboard one octave
up or down with the aid of the F1 and F2 keys, thus incrementing the range
of the keyboard to three octaves.
Explanation of the options:
---------------------------
MAIN MENU:
----------
Play - will play the song
Stop - stops the song
Edit - edit a pattern
Record - edit pattern in real-time
Clear - will kill the song in memory
Use Pset - will load a sample, which can be chosen by using the Preset-
gadget
Filter - will switch the Power-LED (and lowpassfilter on A500 and A2000) on
and off
Disk Op - switches to the Disk-Menu (see below)
Print - will print the Song to PRT: (right button to abort)
Pset-Ed - switched to the PresetList-Editor (see below)
The small gadgets titled from 1 to 4 represent the four audio channels of
your Amiga computer. When lit, the audio channel is enabled.
DISK MENU:
----------
Load Song - loads a song
Save Song - crunches and saves a song
Delete Song - deletes a song from the disk
Load Module - loads a module
Save Module - saves a module
Delete Modules - deletes a modules from the disk
Save Sample - save the selected sample to disk
Format Disk - formats a disk
PRESETLIST-EDITOR:
------------------
Insert - inserts a sample into the PresetList
Delete - deletes a sample
Read path - reads the specified path and inserts the samples into the list
Print Plst - lists the PresetList to PRT: (right button to abort)
Save Plst - saves the PresetList to disk
Use Pset - loads a selected sample into the memory
Press the right mousebutton to move faster up and down!
To read a sampledisk using 'Read path' you have to enter the path you want to
read (in most cases 'df0:' to 'df3:'). Harddisk users may enter a
volume-number which will be inserted before the samplename. Click on
'Volume' to change it. Disks with a name like 'ST-xx' will be automatically
identified!
While editing:
--------------
Cursor-keys move cursor.
shift + Cursor-keys move cursor fast.
alt + Cursor-keys move cursor fastest.
F6 - Set cursor to first line of pattern.
F7 - Set cursor to 16th line of pattern.
F8 - Set cursor to 32th line of pattern.
F9 - Set cursor to 48th line of pattern.
F10 - Set cursor to last line of pattern.
DEL - Delete note under cursor.
shift + F3 - Cut track of current pattern and copy into a buffer.
shift + F4 - Copy track of current pattern into a buffer.
shift + F5 - Copy buffer to track of current pattern.
alt + F3 - Cut the whole pattern and copy into a buffer.
alt + F4 - Copy pattern into a buffer.
alt + F5 - Copy buffer to current pattern.
While using Soundtracker V2.4, HELP will show you these commands once more.
A small word about the +/- gadgets: pressing the left AND right
mousebutton will in-/decrease the value faster !!
Sample zero function:
---------------------
While editing you're able to set the sample to the value zero (0!). Press
both mousebuttons at the position of the samplegadgets (plus, minus = +,-).
Now you can edit the pattern with the sample 0 to prevent difficulties
according to the volume.
Instruments.
------------
You can use up to thirtyone different instruments in one music-piece. All
instruments are listed in the preset-list. The volume is always 64, but you
can change it to each value between 0 and 64. To change the other values of
each instrument you have to enter the preset-editor or use the gadgets in the
program (this is only for small changes. use the preset-ed otherwise!).
With the PresetEd you can change the whole preset-list. An instrument may
have a maximal length of 64K !!
Notes:
------
C#1 0 3 C 2 3
/ |/ | \|
/ / | Info
/ / Command
/ Inst#
Note to
be played.
Note: This is simply the note that is played with that particular
----- instrument.
Inst#: This is the number of the instrument that is used to play that
------ note. When the instrument number is zero, the last selected
instrument will be used.
Command: This number tells Soundtracker what special functions shall be
-------- performed while playing the note.
These functions are as follows:
0 - Normal play or arpeggio.
1 - Portamento up.
2 - Portamento down.
A - Volume slide.
B - Position jump.
C - Set volume.
D - Pattern break.
E - Set filter on/off.
F - Set speed.
Info: This byte contains the additional information for the commands.
-----
Arpeggio: Arpeggio is used for simulating accords. This is done by rapidly
--------- changing the notes while playing an instrument. Arepggios are
selected whenever the info byte has a non-zero value and no
other command is selected.
When arpeggios are used, Soundtracker looks five times during
the play of one note, at the information contained in the info
byte. Each nibble (4 bits) in this byte defines how many notes
Soundtracker must add to the the note currently played. In each
of the five passes Soundtracker does the following with the
information in the info byte:
0 - Play the current note (immediately).
1 - Add the first nibble to the current note.
2 - Add the second nibble to the current note.
3 - Play the current note.
4 - Add the first nibble to the current note.
5 - Add the second nibble to the current note.
Portamento: Portamento is used for 'sliding' the frequency of the sample.
----------- If portamento is in use, the information contained in the
the info byte will be added to (or subtracted from) the period
of the note playing in each of the five passes.
Example: D#2 3208 Slides down $08
--- 0208 Slides down $08
--- 0108 Slides up $08
--- 0210 Slides down $10 (=16)
etc.
Volume slide: This function uses the same parameters as Portamento except
------------- for that it changes the volume.
Position jump:
--------------
The position jump command will do the same like the pattern break
command, but the info byte gives the playroutine the no. of the
new position.
Example: E-2 3B04 - Break the pattern and jump to position 4
--- 0000
--- 0B06 - Break the pattern and jump to position 6
Volume: When command $0C (=12) is selected, the volume is set to the value
------- contained in the info byte. The volume will remain at this level
until the next SAMPLE is played. At this time, the volume is reset
to the default volume level of that sample.
Example: C#1 1C22 - Set volume to $22 (=34) and use instrument # 1 to
play the C#1 note.
D-2 0000 - Use instrument # 1 to play the D-2 note.
(Volume level remains at $22 (=34))
B-1 1000 - Use instrument # 1 to play the B-1 note and
set volume to default value for that
instrument.
Pattern break:
--------------
Pattern break is used to create shorter patterns than 64 notes.
The note with the $0D command will be played and after that the
next pattern in the position-table will be played.
Example: A#3 1D00 - At this point the pattern interrupts.
--- 0D00 - same.
C-1 0D30 - same.
Filter: This Soundtracker version allows you to turn the lo-pass filter
------- on/off.
Example: G#2 1E01 - Turns the filter and the power-led off.
--- 0000
E-1 1E00 - Turns the filter and the power-led on.
Warning to all Amiga 1000 owners: Don't play with the power-led because A500
and A2000 owners will not be happy when they hear your song.
Speed: This function allows changing the speed during play.
------ You can only enter a speed from $01 to $0F.
Setting the info byte to zero doesn't effect anything.
The normal speed is 6.
Example: D-2 4F04 - Set speed to 4
--- 0000
E-1 0F00 - Nothing happens to speed.
--- 0FC3 - Set speed to 3
G-2 2F06 - Set normal speed
For your convenience the speed will now be set to 6 everytime you
load a song/module or clear the song.
The Playroutine.
----------------
The Playroutine on the Soundtracker disk is for using your music in demos,
intros, games etc. It was written using the Seka-assembler and the source of
the routine can directly be incorporated in your demo/intro source. When you
are finished writing your music using Soundtracker V2.4, save it to disk.
Use the function 'SAVE MODULE'. You will find a file in the
'modules'-directory, which contains all songdata and samples. Load with SEKA
the source of the playroutine and enter the size of the saved module at the
label 'mt_data'. Assemble. Now load the saved module to 'mt_data'.
How to play a song:
-------------------
At the beginning of your program, call the 'mt_init' routine.
Jump to the 'mt_music' routine each vertical blank.
To stop the song, jump to the 'mt_end' routine.
P.S. : All you Workbench-fanatics can start the Soundtracker from the
Workbench without using utilities like XIcon. Simply use the provided icon
(or draw your own), but remember: don't forget to assign the ST-xx: disks!
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Last remark:
------------
Some people encountered a problem with the Keyboard while using the
Soundtracker with an A2000 and Harddisk. I changed the Keyboard-Routine, but
I can't test the change with a Harddisk. A friend of mine owns a Skyline
Harddisk with A.L.F. and never came across this problem...
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