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Forums > C64 Composing > Ideas for a NEW TRACKER

2009-09-06 18:33

Hermit

Registered: May 2008
Posts: 208

Ideas for a NEW TRACKER

Hi, Guyz

I have the same problem as others have nowadays in this fast industrial world: Not too much of FreeTime...
I only would like to compose SID music, leave the programming & gfx.
Only one problem is still in my way: Need for a reliable, full featured music editor.

There are a lot of great tools, I think the best are: XSID, SDI, JCH, SID-Factory, DMC5, Goattracker, (BullSID coming?)

I made a lot of comparisons among them, and Goattracker get the most point in regards of functionality (but not in all).
I like the tracker, but don't like emulated sound. Through
PC64 cable or HardSID you can use real SID, but just under the buggy Windows. I don't know about Linux drivers for these. And don't want hangs/losses anymore while composing.
(BTW I had issue with GT2 in Linux, I couldn't save, maybe the Linux wasn't configured well or the GT2 package was compiled wrong...). A MAC is expensive for me, and I even can't say that MACOSx is as safe as C64..

There are some missing functions from the native C64 trackers, first of all, e.g. a simple function: saving an instrument, that you may made for an hour or so...
(DMC has this function if I know well.)

Other important things that are useful: keyjazz (hear note when typing), instrument-detune, MMC/IDE64 compatibility, multispeed, mute/solo tracks, definable HR-type & timer for all instruments....
Most of even the best trackers lacks one or more of these functions. Some have special keymappings to learn..

All in all, I decided to spend my freetime for writing a native C64 tracker that may have everything that a SID-composer needs.

Tha player routine is in half way, an now this is the point when you can come up with ideas your actual tracker is lacking.
Then in this forum we can discuss if it's possible and useful, and logical, etc...

E.g. let me to share my feature-ideas and the actual plans for the player and editor. These are not the usual features (as e.g. funktempo) but some special things:

PLAYER:
-------
-The player will handle the average maximums, 32 subtunes,
255 long orderlists, max.127 of 255 long patterns, 32 instruments.

-The patterns will basically contain only the notes, and
Instruments+FX-es+values only stored if they're there
(this way we have 4 columns per track in memory virtually,
the player can handle this format already.)

-Orderlists will contain data in similar way, so we have
a 2nd 'virtual' column for
transpose/repeat/jump/end and SUBTUNE-CHANGE commands

-I will implement 'Keyboard-track' command as I did in my
3SID tracker. Cutoff freq. can depend on note-pitch..

-Will try to logarythmize the Pulsewidth & Cutoff freq..
sweeps, making bass-filtering more detailed, and maybe
same table could be used for calculated vibrato/slide.

-There will be wavetable/pw/ctf programs/pointers also for
GATE-off, not only for note-on...

-Some compression could be achieved with signing long empty
places (zeros) with a number...

-Should we still use WF/PW/FI/HR tables, or own tables for
every instruments? (At least from editor view.)

EDITOR:
-INSTRUMENT SAVE function
-MMC64 & IDE64 compatibility (e.g. Sid Factory / SDI have)
-Waveform-displayer for instrument editor, filter/PW bars..
-Any ideas to make arpeggios easier? e.g. note based arps.
-Unused player code/pattern/instrument optimization (GT2)
-Possibility to save directly into SID format (as GT2 can)
-High resolution/interlaced characters or using borders to
have more columns and rows..
-Rewind-back/ loop-play function like in my 3SID tracker
-Memory usage displayer bar / counter / out of memo sign..
-Orderlist: long patterns' numbers displayed longer, so no skew when playing...
-Some help for ringmodulation (sign tracks, calculate f1+f2)
....

As you could see, these would be sophisticated features that could make SID-composing easier...and IMO, they're realizable, it's only question of time ...

Tell me bravely, if you have anything new to mention...

Hermit Software HungaryHermit Software Hungary

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2012-05-07 09:21

Hermit

Registered: May 2008
Posts: 208

Hi guys.

Well,
In the last days I decided to add some more extras to SW, and it seems I'll have the dedicated time for it in next days. That will delay the release of SW 1-2 weeks, but it will be worthy...

Sorry for all the promises which were about unrealistic release dates. I learned it's better not to promise until it's not really sure. The time needed for complex careful coding is always 5 times underestimated according to my experience. ...Stay cool. :)

2012-05-07 17:43

Digger

Registered: Mar 2005
Posts: 427

Haha last lap Hermit, fingers crossed! :)

2012-05-08 18:25

Frantic

Registered: Mar 2003
Posts: 1646

Ok.. See ya in 5 years then!

2012-05-10 06:27

Hermit

Registered: May 2008
Posts: 208

Hi Frantic! It's not like that ;) Fortunately I'm really at the end of this project, mainly some bugfixes are left. (But the next project, the FPGA based PC might take 5 years. ..)

2012-06-29 07:25

zscs

Registered: Sep 2010
Posts: 48

Quote: Hi Frantic! It's not like that ;) Fortunately I'm really at the end of this project, mainly some bugfixes are left. (But the next project, the FPGA based PC might take 5 years. ..)

Hi Hermit,
Any news on this topic? :P

2012-07-01 02:12

NecroPolo

Registered: Jun 2009
Posts: 231

Quote: Hi Hermit,
Any news on this topic? :P

I assume, sooner than you would think :)

2012-07-01 13:24

Hermit

Registered: May 2008
Posts: 208

Hi...

Well, NecroPolo is right, my plan is to release SID-Wizard next week, because I'll keep a presentation about it at Arok Party on next Saturday. :)
Still working hard on some fixes, but fortunately this week is mine entirely and have the required contiguous free time :)

Thanks for being patient.
cheer$

2012-07-02 06:29

SIDWAVE
Account closed

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2238

This thread is nearly 3 years old now, so finally a new tracker is finished soon ? dont hurry, better be sure it is bugfree :) great work Hermit!

2012-07-03 10:45

zscs

Registered: Sep 2010
Posts: 48

Wow, sounds great! :)) Thanks for the info. ;)

2012-07-08 16:54

Hermit

Registered: May 2008
Posts: 208

Hi there.

I uploaded a test-release on 7 July.
SID-Wizard V1.0 RC

I want to start a new thread where further suggestions/ideas can be discussed.
If you'd like to code for SID-Wizard we might discuss how cooperation could be arranged to work on it together.
I got some idea at first place from Soci at the party, and I'll try to sketch a visual arrangement of the source-files for better understanding of the code-structure (which might be rearranged if we can find better ways).

**** The new topic is started at: ****
SID-Wizard - further development

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