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"Scattered" -- compared to an editor where you have to switch back and forth between screens to change column?
Very fair point. I guess it's a visual thing for me, I'd like to look only at the column that I'm working on. ps you are one of my favs.
You can do, but I think it's more fun to press start and select than to press enter and let it scroll.
Also, I know you can change patterns on the fly, I know about those possibilities, I just don't like them. And I see why people prefer LSDJ live style, is easier to see and mess with.
i would say the interface for jamming these patterns into place makes the difference too. most oldschool trackers only have a single column order list, so visually it's hard to work with the arrangement of a song in realtime (though it is technically possible).
the nice thing about LSDJ/famitracker is that orders are per column/channel, so it's more intuitive to visually recognize parts of a song and to think about muting or rearranging a song in a part-wise fashion.
the newer trackers of course (buzztracker and i think renoise's pattern matrix among others) are taking a more piece-wise approach to song arrangement, which is nice. smart usage of buzztracker's begin/end sequence markers makes live playback of buzz songs a lot more feasible.
I dont even think about screens when im edting in lsdj. Its all keyboard shortcuts once you get down to it.
trackers win at keyjazz
gameboys rock at fistjizz.
i would say the interface for jamming these patterns into place makes the difference too. most oldschool trackers only have a single column order list, so visually it's hard to work with the arrangement of a song in realtime (though it is technically possible).
Just change those numbers,maybe 
Again, who uses livemode LSDJ? Few.
I've tried several times to get the hang of Noisetrekker 'cause I want those 303s 
Never feels comfortable. I think because my puny brain can't handle all the key combos and trying to do everything with the mouse is annoying as shit.
Again, who uses livemode LSDJ? Few.
Exactly. And even in that population, you're not doing anything different that what you would be doing with point + clicking a mouse or using hotkeys on a laptop keyboard.
The point is who really gives a fuck about any of this, write music. I personally love mod/xm and am looking to get more into it and hopefully write some substantial products within it.
The amount of albums put out on respectable record labels written in .xm/.it format is insane, especially in the early 2000s. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that the tracker scene saw a meteoric rise in output quality (and audio fidelity) between 97-01, to the point where it was on-par with commercial releases (in certain genres, especially dnb/jungle and idm). This alone is a significant factor in why non-hardware-based tracker formats are not really represented in the scene/chip-scene today. It was the mere fact that .xm/.it could reach these heights that spawned the development of projects like madtracker and renoise over a decade ago.
Again, who uses livemode LSDJ? Few.
Just to play devil's advocate, I really like livemode. I find it to be a useful composition tool, and sometimes I pan certain instruments hard right/hard left and route the right and left channels from my gameboy through a bunch of analog effects (synths, effect pedals, etc.) so I can tweak things in real time, essentially "jamming" with my patterns not only in an on-the-fly-order, but through hardware. It's a lot of fun.
I've only used that method in a few recordings, but the option is there.
ant1 wrote:tracking "scene" hardly revolves around chipmusic.org/8bc so maybe we just don't see new mod/xm artists because we are always hanging out here. these places are both "Gameboy forums" not really helped by a bouncing gameboy as part of the logo or whatever.
pretty sure this isn't a game boy forum, just putting that out there
I say fuck a gameboy nowadays. time to evolve but i am still chilling around here.
also chip music has a text logo and not a bouncing gb.
For real tho.... it is a shame that so many people just get stuck on the idea of composing on a gameboy. there is so much more out there.
LSDJ and LGPT cover all my basis. live fun: triggering patterns, changing tables, instrument properties, i just don't need anything else. Portability is key for me IMO, i spent a lot of time travelling for work, so handhelds becomes a must for me.
LGPT ftw.
For real tho.... it is a shame that so many people just get stuck on the idea of composing on a gameboy. there is so much more out there.
The Gameboy is one of the more widely publicised chip creation solutions. It, along with the NES, are essentially the mascots of the chipmusic world to most. And as a result, most new chiptuners start out with a GB setup because it's cheap, portable and simple. Also, LSDJ offers a cheap and simple way to get into tracking - it's quite user-friendly and powerful, and can open the doors to learning about more advanced trackers like ProTracker or Klystrack.
As much as it sucks, I know for a fact that I'd rather carry around a GB with Carillon and LSDJ than an Amiga with ProTracker or AHX.
Most of the newbies stay with the GB because they've grown used to it or perhaps found it really fun. Maybe it's due to price? (it cost me $100 for LSDJ, a cart, a DMG and mods).
It's pretty sad though to see them not really care about the more powerful platforms, though. Maybe this is because they still see the NES and GB as the flagship chipmusic platforms.
This was true with me until I heard cTrix's live set at Blip on the Amiga 500. Until then I really didn't know how powerful or sexy the soundchips in the old Commodores and Amigas sounded.
In the long run, I think most of it is due to price and portability. A DMG can be carried anywhere in your pocket, weighs just over 200 grams (without batteries), and is easy to pick up and start jamming on. My setup cost me $100 AUD
An Amiga needs a fair it of configuration to get working, is pretty daunting to start up, and takes a fair bit to carry around and needs mains power. This dude said an Amiga 2000 is worth upwards of about $100 (I heard all you need is a 500 tho).
[/rant]
GB and NES being the 'mascot' platforms is a fairly recent development though. The C64 arguably held that title a few years ago, for a long time.
My take on it is that most of the 'new' wave of popular, live performing artists (Nullsleep, 8BW, Bitshifter, Bubblyfish, Sabrepulse) use GBs, and newcomers to the scene are far more likely to stumble upon their music via Google than, say, Joule. Just look at the 'how can I start' posts by new members, everyone is asking where to buy and how to pro-sound a GB. I think wanting to emulate the sound of something new you fell in love with down to the instruments is fairly normal, I know I wanted a Strat when I listened to Nirvana.
i spent a lot of time travelling for work, so handhelds becomes a must for me.
Works the same way for me.
But if someday I give up being a video editor and have more patience to write music at the computer, I'd surely be more kind to Ableton Live and Plogue Chipsounds. I really love that combo.
Whatever the live mode. I use both on LSDJ and Piggy.
But the point is: xm/mod artists are a few today cause people just don't know about it. I used it, mostly cause I like messing with samples. I loved protracker and I would love to mess with octamed.
I have some xm stuff, but what appeals to me, and - what it seems - the most people out there, is that LSDJ, Nanoloop, Piggy, or whatever, looks better to work. Looks more friendly.
Also, to spice the discussion, I think that famitracker is just the same as any xm/mod tracker. And I think the ratio of fami people to mod/xm people are almost equal.
And using any sequencer is exactly the same as any tracker.
So all of the discussion about live mode or whatever is pretty useless and deviated too much from the initial discussion.
To some is preference, to others is lack of knowledge.
And using any sequencer is exactly the same as any tracker.
Explain it.