Glad my web browser has actual scroll bars and not those little toothpick things.
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It's great to see a new program come out for the Game Boy and add to our arsenal of tools / toys. I always enjoy playing with arpeggiators, so this was quite fun. It runs fine on an EMS 64 USB, although I haven't tested saves yet.
Personally, I'd like to see the interface tweaked a bit, although I admit that interfaces are a lot about personal taste. In short, I would sacrifice the ability to play notes while on the configuration screen to allow for more convenient movement between parameters (e.g., using the D-pad to move in both directions and then A/B to change values) and quick switching between modes. I'd also like to be able to quickly switch between instrument parameter sets (waveform, etc.), perhaps by making these parameters local to the note set instead of global, so I could scroll through them while in play mode. Overall, the program seems pretty solid though, although I have noticed some minor issues with button debounce.
The website, however, is in serious need of some compatibility and usability testing. I wholeheartedly agree with nitro2k01; the design just isn't functional at the moment. To save others the trouble of searching the source code or trying different browsers, the ROM is here:
http://www.humbletune.com/chord/chord_1.0.2.gb
Calavera wrote:
... the noise channel for all those crazy thrash dudes.
Try setting the arpeggio overflow timer right down and the mode to random.
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Sweden/UK
Cheers @rvan, all very good points, most which where consider during the development process. I might look over my choices again though.
rvan wrote:
The website, however, is in serious need of some compatibility and usability testing.
What device, operating system and browser are you using? I have tested most of the common combinations I think, but it is obviously impossible to try them all. I am always happy if people go to the website rather than just downloading the rom, as there is some useful information on there for some.
Cheers
ERik
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humbleTUNE wrote:
What device, operating system and browser are you using?
I use Dillo and Firefox on Linux.
In Dillo it is usable:
In Firefox it looks like this (the page is not scrollable):
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Sweden/UK
@rvan Ok cheers, it makes more sense now. Sorry I have not tested any Linux distribution. It was definitely wrong of me to assume the linux browsers to behave like the ones I do have access to. However looking at the stats the number of hits from Linux users is tiny in comparison.
I will look into what I can do to improve your issues.
Thanks
ERik
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Italy
Cool thing! Actually I like this a lot, and it also seems like something I could use a lot!
I have one question: this is intended to play only arps isn't it? It can't do actual chords, like in more notes layered on top of another. Or did I miss something?
The other thing I don't get is: what's that "left button" mode thing? Which left button is meant?
I would also suggest to streamline the editing process by allowing full control with the d-pad, being able to move up and down from line to line would make it a lot more pleasant to edit. Also a button or button combo to exit the edit more would also be a welcome edition
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France (au milieu)
nitro2k01 wrote:
See my post above. I think you may be experiencing the same thing I did. Again, good to know it wasn't just me being stupid.
I was stupid to not realize you could scroll down
DOH! *shame*
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Sweden/UK
rumpelfilter wrote:
I have one question: this is intended to play only arps isn't it? It can't do actual chords, like in more notes layered on top of another. Or did I miss something?
Hi. Good point I think. Maybe I have to rename the app. The gameboy is quite limited hardware and chord can only play monophonic sounds. So it plays chords in a sense you can pick chords on a guitar.
rumpelfilter wrote:
The other thing I don't get is: what's that "left button" mode thing? Which left button is meant?
This is the d-pad left button. This comes in two modes. You can either use it to shift octave up or reset the chord progression to the start.
rumpelfilter wrote:
I would also suggest to streamline the editing process by allowing full control with the d-pad, being able to move up and down from line to line would make it a lot more pleasant to edit. Also a button or button combo to exit the edit more would also be a welcome edition
Very good ideas there too. I think I need to revise my desicions of keeping things simple. Sometimes simple is too simple perhaps. 
Thanks for the input @rumpelfilter. Much appreciated.
ERik
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Italy
Hi. Good point I think. Maybe I have to rename the app. The gameboy is quite limited hardware and chord can only play monophonic sounds. So it plays chords in a sense you can pick chords on a guitar.
Well chords in chiptune music are traditionally rendered as very fast arpeggios, so the name is not really wrong, all the contrary. I don't think you have to change the name. I was more wondering if aside from playing arpeggios one could also play actual chords like you'd do on a piano.
Actually applications like Nanoloop or LSDJ let you do that by using for example the L and R channel and just having two (or three if you use the custom wave channel too) notes play at the same time. But it's not a deal breaker, it can be a choice to focus on just the arpeggios.
This is the d-pad left button. This comes in two modes. You can either use it to shift octave up or reset the chord progression to the start.
ok I see, but isn't that button also used to enter edit mode?
btw. I've got many of your iOS apps, I like Nils very much! Great work on those!
... and I should mention that I did not have any issues with your website
I guess I visit too many design websites...
Last edited by rumpelfilter (Oct 13, 2014 12:27 pm)
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France (au milieu)
looks really cool, just tried a few mn at break, i love the ''instrument feeling it give to the gray box!!
been searching for seach an app to fill the B face, it's the first one that seduces me so much
I got though another very stupid question : do you have some kind of a user guide, explaining each mode / function and how far we can go with it ?
could make great bass lines, just using 4 fingers right hand and modulating with the cross pad...
EDIT
*sorry just realised that I did not scrolled down enough *doh!²*
i'm just simply going to make a paper ball out of myself and jump into the wastebasket*
Last edited by Sesska (Oct 13, 2014 2:29 pm)
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Sweden/UK
rumpelfilter wrote:
Actually applications like Nanoloop or LSDJ let you do that by using for example the L and R channel and just having two (or three if you use the custom wave channel too) notes play at the same time. But it's not a deal breaker, it can be a choice to focus on just the arpeggios.
I did toy with the idea of using the other two channels but I never figured out something that made sense playing. There is definitely potential there I think. I should try give it a try.
rumpelfilter wrote:
ok I see, but isn't that button also used to enter edit mode?
It is yes but it depends on the play lock timer horizontally along the top of the screen. While that is not to its far left you can still use it in the play mode way.
rumpelfilter wrote:
btw. I've got many of your iOS apps, I like Nils very much! Great work on those!
Cheers. I am glad you like them. It has been a fun little break from more modern development this gameboy project. Quite different in many ways but in many ways not to I guess. Crushed bits and all that is always fascinating to me.
ERik
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Sweden/UK
Sesska wrote:
EDIT
*sorry just realised that I did not scrolled down enough *doh!²*i'm just simply going to make a paper ball out of myself and jump into the wastebasket*
No worries man. You are not the first one struggling with the website in this thread. Let's just put it down to bad design, you have some space for me in that basket? Glad you found it eventually.
Cheers
ERik
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France (au milieu)
yep! yep!
10mn to go for reaching the dalily end of filthy work, bit of driving to bring myself home-sweet-home...
and then > beer(s) and chord fun \o/
sounds fairly good for a rainy monday evening.
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Sweden/UK
Sesska wrote:
beer(s) and chord fun \o/
sounds fairly good for a rainy monday evening.
Sounds pretty darn good to me on a grey october monday.
Cheers
ERik
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Los Angeles, CA
It would be mildly cool to have some arduinoboy implementation to slave the arp speed to a midi clock :3 Or lsdj/nanoloop for that matter.
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Outer Space
Mrwimmer wrote:
It would be *REALLY* cool to have some arduinoboy implementation to slave the arp speed to a midi clock :3 Or lsdj/nanoloop for that matter.
Last edited by OmO (Oct 21, 2014 9:11 pm)