How many "lsdj style" sample channels could you run on a GBA? It has two DACs so at least 2. How many with software mixing before things start to fall apart?
Last edited by egr (Jul 30, 2012 1:09 pm)
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Los Angeles, CA
I have no idea but I like where it's going...
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Well, nanoloop 2.0 -> 2.2 had 8 channels of sample-based synthesis, and I don't think that amount is due to any limitations.
(or is it? 8 channels are more than enough anyway)
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Chicago IL
GBA is 6 channels, the 4 from the original GB, and 2 DirectSound channels (L+R)
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Chicago IL
So probably 4, if you could implement the LSDJ style dual sample wav channel
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sample channels can be easily software mixed on the GBA, I've used game drivers where the amount of channels varies based on mixing rate.
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Abandoned on Fire
EvilWezil wrote:
I have no idea but I like where it's going...
Where I'm going is a multi-channel sample tracker for GBA with all the sweet options of the LSDJ kits, of course. I'm becoming more and more interested in how LSDJ handles samples and I love all the crazy "skronk" and "pbpbpbpbpbplllllllggjh" you can get with different loop offsets and etc. \m/ \m/
How much of LSDJ's sample handling is software specific? All of it? Are there any GBA capabilities that might make a sample tracker even cooler on that platform?
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Abandoned on Fire
Oh wow, I can't wait to give up on this in a couple weeks! 
http://www.loirak.com/gameboy/gbatutor.php
EDIT: "devkit advance" is the think I want to give up on, right? Any newer/better GBA rom making software that I should give up on instead?
Last edited by egr (Jul 29, 2012 1:08 am)
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San Francisco
GBA desperately needs a program that can push its capabilities. samples, synthesis, etc.
The thing can basically play back mods but nobody does it.
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Sweeeeeeden
LSDj's sample playback is dependant on the hardware, which offers a 32 sample buffer. The buffer needs to be refilled at regular intervals. The pitch value is chosen so that the buffer is finished as close as possible to when the next buffer is due. Easy so far.
Then comes the P command. A negative P command will make the buffer playback speed slower, so that each buffer won't have the chance to finish before the next one is written. A positive P command on the other hand makes the buffer play faster, so it might finish several cycles in between each buffer refill.
So, the exact types of sound you can get out of it are tied to the 32 sample buffer size.
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Sydney, NSW
wedanced wrote:
GBA desperately needs a program that can push its capabilities. samples, synthesis, etc.
The thing can basically play back mods but nobody does it.
amen to that. nanoloop is good, but extremely limited to what it can do (and it also looks hella weird).
a mod tracker would be awesome! sample-based tracking and perhaps wavetable synthesis would make the GBA the only platform you'll ever need for music.
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Abandoned on Fire
Saskrotch wrote:
whatever happened to M4G
No news at all. Probably not dead but not being updated any time soon. 
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Chicago IL
egr wrote:
Saskrotch wrote:whatever happened to M4G
No news at all. Probably not dead but not being updated any time soon.
kind of glad i wasn't one of the people who bought him a GBA flash cart
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Abandoned on Fire
ant1 wrote:
I've been reading about that and on devkitpro.com
Seems like its the answer since you're easily able to add and remove sounds to a rom while it running rather than just having everything hanging out in memory all the time.
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