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ChipMusic.org / Forums / Posts by garvalf
Thanks @irrlichtproject, I'll order the second one then (is it the v3?). It seems neither block the port (neither user, cassette or joystick port for the first one), because there is a kind of extender. But having a more recent version is better anyway. And I need an external because I have two C64 with different sound chips.
Any reason to get the v4 instead? They are 50% more expensive (but with a nice case), I'd prefer to spare money to order a gotek for my Atari ST.
wow, I'm sure you'll sell millions of those!
Would you recommend this one :
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/SD2IEC-SD-Card-R … Sw3xJXnmGw
or this one :
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/SD2IEC-SD-CARD-C … 5Qd-9mDvXA
(almost the same price, the first one as a case)
for the second one, I don't understand why there are 2 versions, one for the cassette port, one for the user port, they say the cassette port is not compatible with plus-4 or SX-64, but the user port is compatible with everything, so why not only selling the user port version? (maybe an old stock). Is there a benefit to use the cassette port over the user port?
The first version (from Poland) seems to use the joystick port.
I'd use it with SidWizard (and probably other musical tools, but it won't be for much games so I don't really care if some packed games won't work)
for the build I'll probably wait the crash problem to be fixed. I'll send you more debug data. It doesn't crash for you (in the order list)?
Thank you, for the colors it's much better this way. I've made a new binary for pocketchip, I'll post it probably tomorrow.
You have a very good girlfriend @toasterpastries! Both for owning a TI-83+, and for supporting your work!!
Thank you both.
I've looked on github, but with the "lgpt" keyword, not "littlegptracker". I think the homepage should show the link to the source code as well.
I'd have used the raspi makefile, but if you think the deb is more suitable, it's the one I've used, and also the -fpermissive flag. It built fine, here is a screenshoot:
The size is ok. It would only be better if it was fullscreen (with the same resolution, like for picoloop) but anyway it's good enough like this.
You can find the binary on this link: https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/littlegptrac … based/9293
I own a pocketchip, i'll try to build a binary.
(edit) I can't find the source code of lgpt...
I've also tried to run the raspberry pi version, but it doesn't even try to run;
./lgpt.rpi-exe
-bash: ./lgpt.rpi-exe: No such file or directory (I've chmod +x it before)
You can find several additional informations about MML on this website: http://battleofthebits.org/lyceum/View/MML/ and some links to translated material for PMD. But if you target NES and Nintendo chips, you'll find informations about PPMCK as well. This seems to compile and run on Linux: http://battleofthebits.org/academy/Grou … y+mic_%29/
I, too, like to use text files instead of binaries for creating things. MML has some advantages:
- It's easy to switch or mute channels (just change a letter in the definitions or comment some lines)
- it's easy to cut and paste an instrument (from an other tune) and modify it
- for the same reason, you can change octaves without problem.
- additionally, you can compare/diff files and use a versionning system
- using macros can be powerful, but it takes time to master this
It has also some drawbacks:
- for replaying a part of your music, you can just play it, you have to compile it, and "guess" the time in the external player. You can also comment the start of your music, but if you have multiples voices it can be tedious.
- the same for designing instruments, you change a value, recompile, listen
- I don't like the MML syntax for entering notes. I've written what I think of this syntax there: http://chipmusic.org/forums/post/246321/#p246321
- you don't have many examples of tunes btw, it seems many people are keeping their code for themselves.
- in addition, some code you can find for a MML variant won't necessary work into another MML system.
hopefully, it's possible to convert from midi to mml (using the 3ML software, it works with wine look for 3ml.jp), even if it subverts a bit the spirit of MML. But I guess at the origin game composers designed their song on a keyboard and then adapted it with MML.
I've put a little template for using PMD98 there (it's for FM soundchips): http://garvalf.online.fr/index.php?page … s_pmd98.en
I'll probably have a look at XPMCK in the future.
You can find musicians using MML on BotB for example searching for this tag : http://battleofthebits.org/arena/Tag/MML
do we have to personally acquire and build up our collections of sounds from samples, etc? This is my primary concern. ^_^
I think you've already got good answers, but anyway we can discuss a bit more on this topic.
There are at least 4 major ways to create "chiptunes":
1/ Use native software on original machines (for ex SidWizard on C64, Maxymizer on Atari ST) or on emulators.
2/ Use cross platform software on modern computers (for ex. famitracker, DefleMask, vortex tracker), targeting original hardware: you can export to file format compatible which you can replay on real C64, real Sinclair Spectrum, Amstrad, Megadrive / Genesis etc
3/ Use VST emulating the sound of original chips or for creating new sound designs (like LMMS, Sunvox, picoloop on linux). It can sound rather genuine, but some VST for example won't have limits like original chip would had (you can have 10 voices for sounding like a C64, while the original had only 3 voices). But even if you stay in the limits of the original, you won't be able to replay your music on original hardware. It's like creating a game which has a look and feel of a gameboy, but with something like SDL, rpg maker or gamemaker, it will look and behave similar but you won't be able to run the game on an old gameboy.
4/ Use sample based sounds, generally with trackers (originally on Amiga, now everywhere, for example MilkyTracker, Modplug Tracker). The "problem" with samples is when you transpose them (for example from C2 to C6), it can sometimes sound different than it would have been with an original instrument (flute, piano) or with an original sound chip. You can also create instrument with a different samples assigned to a group of notes (most trackers can do that), or even every note (like for soundfonts or on digital piano. Sunvox and LMMS can do that as well)
Some people will prefer to use only original hardware and won't even touch an emulator, while others can use crossplatforms but stay within the chip limitations (that's mostly my case). And an other group will prefer to have no limit for their creativity and can use whatever sound available (I can do that with lmms and sunvox as well). So it's up to you.
It's not always possible to start a song in a tracker and continue onto an other (or convert a song from one chip into an other) but some trackers can import/export midi or mod/xm so there is often a way.
If I can make a little advice, try to start with DefleMask, what is cool with it is it's easy to get started with it, and also you can switch from one system to an other (start with a C64 music, 3 SID channels, then redo the song with the Megadrive chips, 6 FM channels and 3 PSG square channels). On the other hand you can't import / export to other trackers, but you can export to real hardware.
I've made a comparison of some trackers and tools I'm using (from a linux user point of view):
http://garvalf.online.fr/index.php?page … s_trackers
Other questions/remarks:
1/ The ym2151 seems to support panning for instruments (there is is line //CH: PAN FL CON AMS PMS SLOT NE in the opm instruments), but the java controller doesn't display this option, I guess it's not supported in the arduino sketch or for another reason?
2/ For the BOM (bill of materials) there are at least:
- YM2151 (obviously)
- YM3012 (dac)
- 6N138 or 6N137 (optocoupler, you can use either I think). The 137 version seems to be more easily findable on ebay
- TLC2274 or MCP6004 (amp). The latest sketch from Charbot is with a TLC2274 but my shield has a MCP6004, I guess they are interchangeable in this context: http://www.me.umn.edu/labs/hmd/lab/electronics/ic.html
- I'll look later for the various resistors and condensators
3/ I see on http://www.ooishoo.org/?page_id=15 there is a SketchMDXPlayeｒ (chiptune player, the MDX is compiled from MML), has anyone tried this? I tried but didn't manage to make it connect between the windows program and the arduino
There is also this: https://github.com/zenmai/portableMDXPlayer but no info in the readme
4/ for the pitch difference (1/2 tone higher), could it be the quartz?
Not yet! Thanks for the reminder!
ok, it is what I supposed: the "poly instrument" mode prevents to play the instruments individually. I don't know why it's enabled by default. If I read correctly in the source code, it starts when the first instrument loads, but if you load other instruments you have to disable the mode. [EDIT] Now I know what the poly instrument means, I've discovered it while playing from a real keyboard: it for polyphony, to be able to play chords. Otherwise it would be only monophonic.
So now it's almost perfect.
Some thoughts:
- For better editing the instruments, having the value associated to the knobs would be helpful:
either when turning the knobs, or better, permanently (it could be close to the name, like "level, mul, det1 etc")
- The theme could use the java nimbus theme
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/ … imbus.html
It seems I can start it this way:
java -jar -Dswing.defaultlaf=javax.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel YM2151-Controller.jarSo thank you Yukio Ishii for the original design, thank you Synthy for the new boards and developments, thank you Masi for the improvements (multichannels) and thank you Charbot the new design with a smaller arduino!
Here is a quick recording from the 2151 shield, with 6 different instruments: http://picosong.com/zKZk
I should tweak more some instruments but it's for giving an idea.
It's a cover of a PC-98 tune (different chip, YM2608, but the FM synthesis is similar): http://battleofthebits.org/arena/Entry/ … set/22807/ (this version is using an emulator)
You're welcome.
Kudo for the easier compilation of the editor. I've submitted a pull request for the documentation on github.
I understand some people wanted to have some kind of GM for FM as well, because GM is a kind of standardisation and not so badly done as it as a wide range of instruments. Probably it was also easier to let PC user which had some GM cards (with some samples support) be able to benefit of the music too. But you're right, it's a pity, music wise.
I guess you like this music (Dune for PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUfGyfbzl9k
@masi:
I've tried to replay a multi-channel midi with the YM2151 shield. I've imported some OPM instruments, which I've mapped using the java application (instrument 1 to channel 1, instr. 2 to chan. 2 etc)
The problem is I can't play instruments according to the channel choosen, either using a virtual keyboard which can choose which channel to play, or with my midi sequencer. It seems only the latest loaded instrument is played, regardless of the channel used. I've also used the "sync instruments" option, reset the arduino, but it's the same.
Now I'm wondering about this "poly mode" and "set poly instrument", I assumed it was for being able to play several instruments at the same time, but I haven't tried to remove the option yet (I don't have access to the shield at the moment), maybe it's for something else and interfere with the midi...
This gamepad is very good, for under 3 € : http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Mini-Wireless-Bl … 1813725688
It works great with gameboy games for example. It doesn't support the phone, but you can reuse a table for this purpose 
ChipMusic.org / Forums / Posts by garvalf