Offline
West Yorks, UK
YERZMYEY wrote:

It is supposed to be released as MP3 recordings from real ZX and also as a program in music-collection style.


?! Mp3s from a real ZX? that sounds amazing.

Or do you mean, MP3's converted (not on Speccy) from rec ording made direct from real Speccy?

Either way, your Berlin school release was one of the greatest chip releases Ive ever heard, so am looking forward to this!

Offline
The Rubber Man

Domu:

No, actually the only thing Spectrum can do, in similarity to what You have in mind, is playing some kind of WAVs. Gasman made such a player, if I recall. Well, surely there was his movie-player but with sound.

What I mean is - I don't like sound taken from emulators. I hear pretty strong difference (to emulators' disadvantage).
So I always try to record my songs (into MP3) from real ZX hardware to PC. And that's the case.

Also thanks for Your kind words about the 'Berlin' album however this one will be different because it will be without all the modern technique - only lo-fi micromusic from an ancient machine. wink

Offline
West Yorks, UK

Ah I agree. There is definately always a certain thing lacking from emulations of our beloved chips. Maybe its the lack of electrical components that subtly colour the sound (and this is presuming "perfect" emulation)

Beating the Berlin release will be tough Yerz wink

Offline
The Rubber Man

Although it's kinda off-topic here, but I don't plan making another classic_computers-based album with electronica in berlin-school type. Of course - "never say 'never'", that's another thing.

Offline
West Yorks, UK

I wasn't suggesting that you'd be continuing down that stylistic route!

Just that, despite my love of your "pure" chip releases/ tracks, I feel the magnificence of that particular release is going to be hard to overcome! Of course comparing traditional ZX chip with post processed/ more modern forms is futile as they are distinct, but, ya know... it was just a really good release! smile

Do you plan on making any "classic_computers-based album with electronica in (*style other than berlin-school) type?"   I sure hope so!

My vote goes for idm/drill n bass/breakcore authored in sampletracker, if you feel you're up to it!
Then again, maybe you dont even like those styles.... (and yes I realise IDM is an umbrella term and not even really a genre/ style, but im sure you get my drift)

Im sure il enjoy whatever you put out though Yerz, you got skills man.

Last edited by Domu (Mar 20, 2013 10:59 am)

Offline
The Rubber Man

Well, that's an interesting question - whether the SampleTracker on ZX Spectrum could be useful in some "more general" micromusic, with usage of other hardware.
Actually most chiptuners use many various piece of hardware, mixers, equalizers, FX units and so on.
They mix in this way many various ancient (and new) devices.
So yes - a ZX Spectrum with SampleTracker would be a good addition, in my humble opinion.
Some people like micromusic because its lo-fi sound. And Spectrum's 4bit samples are veeery lo-fi. wink
And they're not filtered, like in CASIO SK-1 / SK-5 for instance. So another lo-fi feature.

Offline
West Yorks, UK

Of course it could be useful! With external FX/ processing even the chippiest of micromusic tools can be used for non-micromusic electronica! Reappropriating old hardware is a big part of the appeal for many chiptuners, it seems only right that we would also reappropriate the micromusic tools for non-micromusic!


Also; Where can I get hold of covox device to play with 8 bit samples on ZX?
And, can you reccomend a place to get AY interface from? I have a ZX 48k and unfortunately a non-working spectrum+2 128k (tape drive belt is broken Im guessing)
Clearly it would be easier and cheaper to fix the +2 and use the AY inside that, but I have much fonder connection with the 48k.
But yeah, I know little of the covox devices! Any help would be appreciated. Maybe I should hit google before asking stupid questions! smile

And sorry for totally derailing this thread!

Offline
Bratislava, Slovakia
YERZMYEY wrote:

Martin:


> BTW that 3D means disk version, and T tape version.
--------------
Aaah, I get it now.
Thanx for the info!!


Or iam wrong! I purchased first edition for casette without any letter, later D version is in manual "disk" version, but it also may be version for D40/80 disk drive from Didaktik Skalica. So T version is probably TR-DOS version? Betadisc interface with TR-DOS was very popular in Czech republic, especially in Brno. Sorry smile

Offline
The Rubber Man

Domu:

> Where can I get hold of covox device to play with 8 bit samples on ZX?
----------------------
Well, for the British machines (or others with standard ZX-bus) You'd have to get the Czechoslovak version of Covox - D/A 8bit converter that Martin mentioned earlier in this thread.
I gather it would be rather impossible to buy, so the soldering would be the only way.
I don't have schemes of it, so maybe Martin (or Project.Gama) could help.


> And, can you recommend a place to get AY interface from? I have a ZX 48k and unfortunately a non-working spectrum+2 128k (tape drive belt is broken Im guessing)
Clearly it would be easier and cheaper to fix the +2 and use the AY inside that, but I have much fonder connection with the 48k.
--------------------------
This one is highly easy: they're still being produced.
You can take the simpler version: http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=40

or more complicated (with Kempston Joystick port built-in) named KempAY from the same WWW site but now I've just checked out and seems like he ceased production of them to release soon a smaller version.

SampleTracker with AY plays in a little worse quality (4bit) but actually You can judge by Yourself -
http://yerzmyey.i-demo.pl/Yerzmyey-Astral_Combat.mp3 (SampleTracker recorded from AY interface).
Could be worse, I suspect.

> But yeah, I know little of the covox devices! Any help would be appreciated. Maybe I should hit google before asking stupid questions! smile
---------------
No, forum is to discuss and not for idiots who on every question answer: "ask google", so don't worry.
The problem is, I can't find any ZX D/A scheme for the time being. sad





Martin:

> Or iam wrong! I purchased first edition for casette without any letter, later D version is in manual "disk" version, but it also may be version for D40/80 disk drive from Didaktik Skalica. So T version is probably TR-DOS version? Betadisc interface with TR-DOS was very popular in Czech republic, especially in Brno. Sorry smile
--------------------
Not necessarily. T version uses tape only, as far as I noticed, and the only TR-DOS version is 2.1.
Anyway - I collect software for micromusic, so I saved also the 3T. smile


Greetzzzzzzz,
Y

Last edited by YERZMYEY (Mar 20, 2013 9:18 pm)

Offline
The Rubber Man

OK, here is a thread about this covox designed for western SampleTrackers (2.0, 2.0d, 3D and 3T) -
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/s … hp?t=43089
For me it's black magic, so if You have knowledge about soldering, schemes and electronic parts... wink
Then enjoy. wink

Offline
Bratislava, Slovakia

I am looking at that world of spectrum link, MB02? It is disk drive system mostly used by Slavo Labsky (BusySoft), he is one of best-experienced coders for ZX Spectrum in Slovakia (incredible demos, tape loaders for Ultrasoft games, assembler MRS etc.). That Covox is probably product of people around him at electrofaculty in Bratislava, but i really don't know.

Offline
West Yorks, UK
YERZMYEY wrote:

OK, here is a thread about this covox designed for western SampleTrackers (2.0, 2.0d, 3D and 3T) -
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/s … hp?t=43089
For me it's black magic, so if You have knowledge about soldering, schemes and electronic parts... wink
Then enjoy. wink


thanks for the infomrmation Yerz! Very cool of you to ask over at that forum for me!

Offline
The Rubber Man

Well, anyway - if anybody has more questions about this software for Sinclair ZX Spectrum machines, then here is a right place to ask. wink



And next time I will have to describe another digital tracker for Spectrum (128 in this case) - the Chip-Tracker (I know, the name is confusing) by Alone Coder.

It's interesting because it force AY to play FOUR digital channels. smile Also has volumes, if I recall.

Greetzzzz,
Y

Offline
The Rubber Man

By the way - my new album made fully on SampleTracker and ZX Spectrum - is ready.
Title: "Astral Combat".
DOWNLOAD: http://yerzmyey.i-demo.pl/yerzmyey-astr … at2013.zip

Info:
____________________________
(C) 2013 by YERZMYEY/AY-RIDERS.
Album's title: "Astral Combat".

Tracklist:
01. Astral Combat
02. Comet Day
03. Industrial Fucking Part 5
04. Taiyou
05. Dance of Insanity
06. Kaminari
07. Electrobody (ZX48 Cover)
08. DIG IT
09. Proof of concept (a bonus track)

Total time: 26:50 min.

All music has been made on standard ZX Spectrum and SampleTracker program.

Infos: 3 channels, 4-bit quality lo-fi micromusic.

Recorded from real hardware: ZX Spectrum 48K with AY-interface.
____________________________

Offline
West Yorks, UK

wot no covox? big_smile lol
sure this will be great listening

Offline
The Rubber Man

Domu:
hehe, I prefer original machine after all. wink

Anyway - GOOD NEWS

http://yerzmyey.republika.pl/wav2tap.zip

__________________________
GRUPA DUPA presents...

...for SampleTracker 2.0, 2.0d and 3T -

"WAVE TO TAP CONVERTER"
to convert Microsoft WAV samples into TAP instruments for the above SampleTracker versions.

Input format required:
- Windows PCM *.WAV
(which means - a standard WAV file, yes),

- mono
- 8-bit
- 16khz

Ouput:
4-bit quality instrument of SampleTracker series
(that means the TAP instrument will be 2 times smaller then the orignal WAV. Niiiiice.
48K of RAM will not hurt so much).

Tested on AY chip and BEEPER: works fine.
We don't have D/A OUT, so: not tested (should work 'though).

Syntax / HOW TO USE?
java -jar WAV2TAP.JAR file.tap file.wav
(it will generate the TAP file by itself, don't worry).

The converter requires JAVA 1.6 to work.
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/ … 02814.html

Code by MONO
http://mono.atari.pl/

Suggestions/testing/annoying: YERZMYEY
http://yerzmyey.i-demo.pl/

(C) 04.2013 by GRUPA DUPA
__________________________

Last edited by YERZMYEY (Apr 4, 2013 9:48 pm)